Jack Draper confirms return to tennis as Andy Murray prepares to be in Briton's corner

Jack Draper confirms return to tennis as Andy Murray prepares to be in Briton's corner

Jack Draper is set to return to competitive action at Eastbourne next week, marking his first tournament appearance since sustaining a knee injury in early April. The 24-year-old withdrew from Queen's last week but now believes he is ready to demonstrate his fitness ahead of Wimbledon, which begins on June 29. This return will also be Draper's debut tournament working with Andy Murray, who joined his coaching team last month. The three-time Grand Slam champion had previously coached Draper under Jamie Delgado's guidance before the surprise announcement Murray would be "supporting" him during the grass-court season. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Draper's comeback follows a frustrating period plagued by physical setbacks that have disrupted his momentum. The former world number four spent nearly seven months on the sidelines with bone bruising in his serving arm before returning to competition in February. His return proved short-lived, however, as he picked up a knee problem during the Barcelona Open at the beginning of April. The cumulative effect of these injuries has been stark, with Draper managing just 11 competitive matches over the past twelve months. LATEST SPORTS NEWS Premier League fixtures in full as Coventry and Hull handed tough starts to new season Gary Neville forced to deny agenda against England star after World Cup win over Croatia World Cup star who suffered horror injury poses for picture from hospital bed His ranking has suffered considerably as a consequence, with the British player falling outside the world's top 100. He has spent recent weeks training alongside Murray at the National Tennis Centre in London. Murray expressed his desire to continue coaching Draper beyond the grass-court season. "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", the Scotsman told the BBC. The former world number one has been encouraged by