Jack Draper has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after a relapse of the arm injury that has sidelined him for much of the past year, dealing another blow to British hopes at the Grand Slam.
Draper's withdrawal and scheduled match
Draper had been scheduled to play on Tuesday in one of the most widely discussed first-round matches against the sixth seed, Taylor Fritz. The Briton had just returned from another layoff after a nightmarish year of injuries, with his appearance in Eastbourne last week marking his first tournament in two and a half months after struggling with knee tendinitis.
Statement from Draper
In a statement, Draper said: “Devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first-round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury. There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon. I will continue to persevere through this. Thank you for the support.”
History of the injury
Draper’s left-arm injury, a bone bruise, had forced him off the tour for seven months, between July and February. That period included another false start as he attempted to compete at the US Open in August, playing in the mixed doubles event and then winning one round in singles before withdrawing. Bone bruising is a particularly challenging chronic injury as it is difficult for athletes to gauge how much the injury has healed.
Raducanu also withdraws
The British women’s No 1, Emma Raducanu, withdrew on Sunday after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right foot, compounding the disappointment for British tennis fans.
Recent form and context
While Raducanu had been racing to be fit enough to compete at Wimbledon throughout the week, Draper seemed to be OK while contesting four matches as he reached the semi-finals in Eastbourne. He was in great spirits on Sunday and had played well on his return. He spoke with great excitement about the prospect of facing Fritz. Draper was seeded No 4 at Wimbledon last year and is one of the most talented players of his generation. He has shown the ability to compete for the biggest titles, reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 US Open and winning his first Masters 1000 title in 2025 at Indian Wells.
Health challenges
Remaining healthy is his greatest challenge and that 18-month period of good health between 2024 and 2025 has been an anomalous period as a professional for him. Draper has struggled with various injuries, including a shoulder problem that forced him out of Wimbledon in 2023, and it has now been more than a year since he was last healthy for an extended period of time. In Eastbourne, Draper said: “These injuries are just so complicated. I know other players have had this particular one in their arm, and who knows, it might never go away. I know a couple of players for whom it has gone away after a couple of years but it gets to the point where you do play through it.”
