Draper is set to make his comeback at Eastbourne after a grueling 11-month spell plagued by injury, revitalized by his “very special” bond with coach Andy Murray and the Scot’s unwavering confidence in his abilities. Draper will be making his return to the court in more than two and a half months at the Eastbourne International on Monday. This will be his first competitive event since enlisting the help of his idol and childhood friend, Andy Murray, as his coach, and follows an almost year-long layoff due to a persistent arm and knee injuries.

He’ll be hoping to sharpen up in time for Wimbledon, which is now only a week and a bit away.

“His tennis knowledge is phenomenal,” said Draper about Murray. “My tennis is actually in a really, really good spot,” he added, referring to his physical condition, “I’ve lost a lot of confidence in my body over the last year that I’m rebuilding back again.”

He also stressed the impact of having Murray by his side, “Having someone who believes in you as a person, as a player who’s one of your biggest inspirations… I have a great relationship with him off the court – our relationship is very special – and that gives me a bit more energy, especially in a moment where I’m coming back and I need to have that good energy around me.” Just 12 months ago Draper was enjoying a stellar run of good form, achieving a career-high ranking of 4 in the world, but the last 11 months have been a miserable saga of injuries and pain.

Draper, 24, has not competed since the start of April after he withdrew from the Barcelona Open, suffering knee tendinitis.

The knee injury had itself come after seven months out with a bone bruise in his left arm sustained in a fall, causing him to slip to world No 113. (AP) Jack Draper at work under the watchful eye of Andy Murray in Eastbourne. Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA. Despite the setback, Draper always felt he would eventually make it back.

He did, however, concede, “I was absolutely not” psychologically sound over the past year. “It’s been an incredibly tough year,” Draper said. “I’m someone who’s all-in with my tennis.

I’m obsessed with improving and getting better and being the best in the world and doing all the right things.”

“Outside of tennis, there’s not a lot going on for me. So it’s obviously been very difficult, very isolated, a lot of tough days, a lot of training. As a competitor, all you want to do is feel the buzz of being out there competing. I’ve had to be incredibly patient with my body.”

Draper admits that he accepts that his arm may “never go away,” but has no doubts about achieving the career he feels he deserves.

“I was top 10 in the world, doing great things, and you’re losing your ranking every week,” he said. “It’s not like a football team where you can have a substitute come in and take your place. It’s like you’re watching your decline.

So it’s tough, but I think I’ve learned a massive amount about my body in the last year and my recovery.” As for the benefits that might come from such a troubled period, Draper believes they’ll provide an edge. “Before, in the position I was, I still felt like maybe there’s mental levels I needed to go to to get to where I wanted to be,” he said.

“And even though my ranking slipped and I haven’t played, when you go through a lot of struggles and a lot of setbacks, it definitely gives you the mental fortitude to think: ‘I’ve got something a little bit extra to these guys because of what I’ve gone through.’”

Serena Williams will step back onto Centre Court at Wimbledon this summer, returning to singles competition after being granted the final wildcard by the All England Club.

The announcement ends months of speculation about whether the 23-time Grand Slam champion would attempt a singles comeback. Williams, 44, retired from professional tennis at the 2022 U.S. Open, but her decision to resume doubles earlier this season hinted at unfinished business.

Her return to singles marks her first appearance in nearly four years, reigniting excitement among fans and raising questions about how competitive she can be at this stage of her career.

Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, with her last triumph coming in 2016. However, her recent experiences at the tournament have been difficult. In 2021, she suffered a serious hamstring injury in the opening round. A year later, she lost to Harmony Tan in the first round, a defeat many believe influenced her determination to return.

She has not won a singles match at Wimbledon since 2019, making this comeback both a challenge and an opportunity to end her career at the All England Club on a stronger note.

Williams resumed competitive play in doubles earlier this month, partnering Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club before Mboko withdrew due to injury. She later teamed up with Karolina Muchova in Berlin, losing in the opening round but expressing satisfaction with her performance.

Since then, she has been training on the grass courts at Wimbledon, preparing for the physical demands of singles competition. While doubles requires less movement, singles will test her endurance and agility.

The All England Club had only one singles wildcard left when the announcement was made. With the qualifying draw set to be published, officials confirmed Williams as the recipient, ensuring her place in the main draw.

Her inclusion adds star power to the tournament and offers fans the chance to witness one of the sport’s greatest champions compete again on the iconic grass courts.

Williams’s comeback is not just about results. At 44, she faces the reality that singles tennis demands far more physically than doubles. Yet her career has been defined by defying expectations.

Her victory over then-world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit at the 2022 U.S. Open showed she could still compete at the highest level. Whether she can replicate that form at Wimbledon remains uncertain, but her presence alone elevates the tournament.

The news has sparked excitement across the tennis world. Fans and analysts see her return as a chance to close her Wimbledon chapter differently. For many, it is less about titles and more about celebrating her enduring influence on the sport.

Serena Williams’s singles comeback at Wimbledon is both a sporting and symbolic moment. With a wildcard entry, she has the chance to rewrite her final chapter at the All England Club. Whether she advances deep into the draw or not, her return underscores her refusal to shy away from challenges and her lasting impact on tennis.

Belgian World Cup ambitions were shaken following a group game clash against Iran during which they had to contend with the handicap of a red card for a large portion of the match. The Europeans, nevertheless, managed to stem the Iranian onslaught and fought for a share of the spoils, which eventually ended goalless.

The encounter opened as evenly contested, as the teams probed for an early advantage, Belgium trying to make their passing game count and Iran on the counter. Few chances were created in the opening stages, the encounter being more of an engaging toe-to-toe skirmish until Belgium’s World Cup match was turned on its head halfway through the first period when one of their players was sent off. The resulting sending off saw Belgium quickly reassess and regroup to contain their adversaries.

Iran suddenly found an avenue for advancement and continued to advance toward Belgium’s goals, but the defensive efforts by their opponents were commendable and were marshalled superbly by Belgium’s goalkeeper, who came up with a series of key stops to thwart Iranian efforts in their quest to break the deadlock.

At ten men, Belgium’s defenders put their defensive acumen to good use as they packed their box, blocked all the attacking avenues available to Iran and were efficient in clearing out all the dangerous crosses into the box. Belgium, on their part, did very few attacking sorties during the match, but managed a handful of counter-attack opportunities which did put the Iranian backline on edge, though they appeared more concerned about survival.

Iran made the best of the advantage by dominating possession but fell short when it came to the cutting edge in front of goal. The long-range shots either flew over the bar or were saved by Belgium’s net-minder, and any attempted cross either flew outside the parameters or was comfortably cleared by the vigilant Belgium defence.

Despite their commanding possession, the Iran team were unable to find their way through the Belgian walls that effectively sealed all approaches to the Belgium goals.

Belgium put up a remarkable show of discipline and organisation to hold the opposition. Belgium defended their citadel stoutly to ensure a point to be earned, while Iran, on the other hand, will feel a tinge of disappointment at having let a valuable victory slip by virtue of their failure to make use of a golden opportunity of getting ahead. The results have kept both teams in contention to march into the knock-out rounds.

Belgium, although they did not set out for such result but under such circumstances, managed to earn an important point.
In order to do that, they will have to make considerable adjustments due to the absence of one player, and discipline will play an important role in future matches, while Iran should enhance their striking options in the days to come.

In addition to their sheer resolve, the Belgium defence put up an inspirational display of how to defend at ten men. They made a clear case of the role discipline could play even in a situation of overwhelming pressure, and their custodian was the last man between Iran’s victory hopes of Iran.