Jack Draper saw his 2026 Barcelona Open campaign end in heartbreak as he was forced to retire mid-match due to injury. The incident prompted a strong reaction from Andy Roddick.

Draper, seeded eighth, began his clay season in Barcelona against Tomas Martin Etcheverry and made a solid start by taking the first set 6-3. However, his movement noticeably declined as the match went on.

Etcheverry fought back to win the second set 6-3. Draper took a medical timeout, receiving strapping just below his right knee, but continued to struggle physically. Trailing 1-4 in the deciding set, the Brit eventually chose to retire from the match.

Roddick shared his thoughts in the latest episode of his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, saying:

"What you don't want is the stops and starts for someone this talented, who has a lot of potential value to the sport of tennis. Through May of last year, he was maybe the third-best player in the world, January to May."

"When you see someone who has an injured right knee and they come back, and all of a sudden there's a left ankle turn. All that sh*t connected somehow, and you end up injuring something else because you are subconsciously favoring, so you are not gonna come back your first tournament back in clay and play three out of five sets on clay. I don't think that's smart when you have had injuries the last year. You hope it ends in health," the American added.

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Jack Draper pens emotional message after Barcelona Open heartbreak

Jack Draper pictured at the 2026 Barcelona Open | Image Source: Getty

Jack Draper took to Instagram to share an emotional message after his sudden retirement from the 2026 Barcelona Open. He promised to recover from the injury and return stronger, while also thanking fans for their continued support.

Draper wrote:

"Sad to retire in Barcelona. I’ve tried hard these last months to stay positive and give my all. It will take time but I will work my way out of this. Thank you for all the support throughout this process!"

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Since breaking through in 2022, Jack Draper has dealt with multiple injuries, including issues with his shoulder, abdomen, and now his knee.

His latest setback comes after a tough stretch that kept him out for six months--from last year’s US Open until February--because of a bone bruise in his left humerus. The timing is also a major concern, with the French Open scheduled to start in just a month.

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