Former British No 1 Jack Draper has withdrawn from the Mubadala DC Open in Washington on the eve of the tournament, as the long-term arm injury that has troubled him for more than a year continues to cause problems.
The 24-year-old left-hander pulled out of the ATP 500 event on Monday after feeling more soreness in his serving arm, having been due to make his first appearance since withdrawing from Wimbledon last month. Draper had said at the weekend that he was "feeling physically good", and he had looked strong in practice sessions under the guidance of his new coach, Andy Murray.
"These last months have felt like nothing but adversity and setbacks," Draper wrote on Instagram shortly after his withdrawal was announced. "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."
It is a familiar scenario for the former world No 4, who talked positively about his fitness at Wimbledon only to pull out 24 hours before his first-round match. The bone bruising in his serving arm has limited him to just 14 matches in the past 12 months, an injury he has tried to overcome through long periods of rest.
His earlier comeback this season was derailed by tendinitis in his knee, and the three-time ATP Tour winner had not played for more than two months before returning at Eastbourne in June. Reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon came at a price, with the arm injury flaring up again and leaving Draper "devastated" at having to miss his home Grand Slam.
Draper, now ranked 147th in the world, remains hopeful of playing in Montreal and Cincinnati before the US Open, which starts on 30 August and where he reached the semi-finals in 2024. If he is fit enough to play at Flushing Meadows this year, he will need a wildcard or to come through qualifying. In Washington, he has been replaced in the draw by lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald.
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