Andy Murray returns to coaching to work with Jack Draper over grass-court season

Andy Murray is returning to coaching to work with Jack Draper during the grass-court season.

Murray had a six-month spell coaching his former rival Novak Djokovic between November 2024 and last May but has since been away from the sport spending time with his family and on the golf course.

The Scot said in a recent interview that he was open to having another crack at coaching, and it has now emerged that he will team up with Britain’s most exciting male prospect this summer.

Draper announced on Tuesday that he has split from Jamie Delgado, saying: “I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months. He is a world-class coach and a great man.

“In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grass court season.”

While it is initially a short-term arrangement, the prospect of Murray coaching the man anointed as his successor is a hugely exciting one for the British game.

Draper will hope the partnership helps him push back towards the top of the game after a hugely frustrating period that has seen his ranking slip to 50.

In the world’s top four last June, the 24-year-old has been dogged by injury since, spending nearly eight months sidelined by an arm problem and now forced to miss the French Open because of a knee issue.

Grass has so far been Draper’s weakest surface and he will hope the guidance of two-time Wimbledon champion Murray can help him unlock his huge potential.

Draper has spoken often of his friendship with Murray and of the inspiration he has taken from the achievements of the Scot.

The pair were formerly Davis Cup team-mates, while their only meeting on court came in Indian Wells in 2023, where Draper claimed a third-round victory.

Their first tournament working together is currently set to be the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club beginning on June 15, but Draper could look to take a wild card into the grass-court event in Stuttgart the previous week.

No reason has yet been given for the split from Delgado, who also coached Murray, but their time together was dominated by Draper’s fitness struggles.

The left-hander played just four tournaments under Delgado, with the highlight being a run to the quarter-finals of Indian Wells in March as defending champion, which included victory over Djokovic.

He then lost his opening match at the Miami Open and retired during a first-round clash in Barcelona last month because of the knee problem, which was diagnosed as an aggravated tendon.

Draper opted not to try to rush back for the French Open, beginning on May 24, instead focusing on preparing fully for the grass-court season.

While he won his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart two years ago, Draper has never made it beyond the second round at Wimbledon.