The BBC interrupted its live Wimbledon coverage on Monday to announce that British men's number one Jack Draper had withdrawn from the tournament due to a recurrence of an arm injury. The announcement came just 24 hours before he was scheduled to play Taylor Fritz in the first round on Centre Court.
During the first round match between top seed Jannik Sinner and Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, presenter Isa Guha broke the news: "There is some more disappointing news for British fans after Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw with injury last night, Jack Draper has also dropped out. This is breaking news just coming out of the Draper camp. The British number five had been due to face Taylor Fritz on Centre Court tomorrow but he has been forced to pull out."
Draper's statement: 'Absolute worst'
Guha then read a statement from Draper, who 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!!"
Draper's withdrawal follows that of Emma Raducanu, who pulled out late on Sunday night due to injury. The back-to-back withdrawals have dealt a blow to British hopes at the championships.
Fitness struggles and pre-tournament concerns
Draper has been plagued by fitness problems in recent years. During his pre-tournament press conference, he addressed the ongoing concerns: "It's very difficult. I think when I was younger, I had quite a few sort of setbacks. Then came through that and had a couple years of where I wasn't. I made some incredible progress. Looking back coming here last year as 4 in the world, I was feeling incredible and looking forward to everything that was to come. I felt like I was gradually building up and up and up, confidence in my tennis, in my body, in my mind. Then you have something that stops you in your tracks when you're not expecting it. I think it's really difficult to accept that, especially after coming through what you've come through in the past."
The former world number four had been seen as a strong contender for a deep run at Wimbledon, but his recurring arm injury has once again derailed his plans. His absence leaves a significant gap in the men's singles draw for British fans.
