Draper to return at Eastbourne with new coach Murray

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Former British number one Jack Draper has dropped to 113th in the world rankings after playing just 11 matches in the past year By Jonathan Jurejko BBC Sport tennis news reporter Published 16 minutes ago Britain's Jack Draper will make his long-awaited return from injury at Eastbourne next week - and he will be watched by new coach Andy Murray. The 24-year-old has not played competitively since early April and needs match practice before Wimbledon starts on 29 June. After withdrawing from Queen's last week, Draper now feels ready to play at Eastbourne and prove his fitness before the Championships begin. Eastbourne will be Draper's first tournament under the guidance of Murray, who was brought into the 2024 US Open semi-finalist's team last month. Former world number one Murray, speaking exclusively to BBC Sport this week, says he hopes to work with Draper on a long-term basis. Draper had been with Murray's former coach Jamie Delgado before making a surprise announcement that the three-time Grand Slam singles champion would be "supporting" him over the grass-court season. Asked if the partnership is a long-term project, 39-year-old Murray said: "I hope so. "I think the number one priority for Jack and the team just now is getting him back on the match court, competing and gaining trust in his body again." Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu has opted not to play in Eastbourne, which starts on Monday. The British women's number one reached the Queen's final last week, but the 23-year-old will continue her Wimbledon preparations on the practice courts next week. Home players Arthur Fery, Jacob Fearnley, Jack Pinnington Jones, Francesca Jones, Alicia Dudeney and Hannah Klugman have been given wildcards for the combined ATP-WTA event. GB's Klugman beaten in Nottingham second round Published 23 hours ago Evans misses out on Wimbledon singles wildcard Published 1 day ago Murray has 'no doubt' Draper can challenge the best Long considered Murray's natural successor as Britain's leading man, Draper seemed to be developing into a genuine challenger to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the men's game. In an 18-month period, Draper reached a Grand Slam semi-final, cracked the world's top five and won one of the biggest ATP tour titles at Indian Wells. However, his progress has been derailed by further injury issues. After missing almost seven months with bone bruising in his serving arm, the former world number four returned to the tour in February, but picked up a knee injury at the Barcelona Open at the start of April. Draper has only played 11 matches in the past year and dropped out of the world's top 100 as a result. Over the past few weeks he has been working with Murray on the practice courts at the National Tennis Centre in London and now feels ready to return to match action. "I've been incredibly impressed with his tennis on the practice court. He's a super quick learner and a brilliant player as well,"