Jack Draper withdraws on eve of match again as injury worries mount

Jack Draper’s injury concerns have deepened after he withdrew on the eve of a match for the second time in a row.

Draper pulled out of an ATP Tour event in Washington on Monday, the day before his first-round match. It followed the 24-year-old ruling himself out of Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament, despite saying he felt positive about his fitness.

The former British No 1 has a long-term arm injury and has played just 14 matches in the past 12 months. He continues to be hampered by a bruised humerus.

Draper is in a race against time to prove his fitness, with the US Openmixed doubles event taking place on August 25 and 26, where he is paired with Jessica Pegula. The singles draw starts on August 30. He is targeting tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati as part of his preparations.

“These last months have felt like nothing but adversity and setbacks,” Draper wrote on Instagram. “Most days I’ve spent in doubt, yet hopeful that I can keep taking positive steps forward and finding ways to progress. Being patient with the process has been my biggest challenge, but I know I’m getting closer to where I want to be.”

Draper had said he was feeling “physically really good” before the Mubadala DC Open.

Draper reached the semi-finals at Eastbourne in June but his arm injury flared up, and he said he was devastated at having to pull out of Wimbledon.

“It’s hard to tell when you can push [and] when not to push,” Draper said at the time. “At the end of the day I’m playing a very aggressive sport, that you need to play through some stuff. Sometimes it’s too much. Sometimes it’s not. I wouldn’t be competing anywhere if there was a chance that I’m going to get a lot worse, for instance.”

The former world No 4, now ranked 147th, will have to come through qualifying to play in the main draw at the US Open, or be given a wild card.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]