Jack Draper has been forced to withdraw from the US Open before his second-round match because of an arm injury that has plagued his summer. The fifth seed missed seven weeks of competition due to bone stress and bruising on his left arm, and had not played since his second-round exit at Wimbledon last month.
In a statement on social media, Draper said: “Hi guys, I’m sorry to say I’ll be withdrawing from the US Open. I tried my very best to be here and give myself every chance to play but the discomfort in my arm has become too much and I have to do what is right and look after myself. Thank you for all the support it means so much to me. Until next year NYC.”
Draper had withdrawn from the pre-US Open tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati, but returned to competition in the mixed doubles at Flushing Meadows, reaching the semi-finals alongside Jessica Pegula. He then won a difficult four-set first-round singles match against Federico Agustín Gómez on Monday, and was scheduled to face Zizou Bergs on Thursday. However, during that match, his serve speeds dropped significantly and he struggled to attack his forehand, also vomiting multiple times.
Despite those signs, Draper had been positive about his arm in his post-match press conference, saying scans showed he was not compromised. He added: “I think also competing, there’s more adrenaline that’s going to help me...it’s about the load of what I’m doing. Today it responded amazing.” However, after training on Tuesday and Wednesday, he decided to withdraw.
The past few weeks have also seen Draper launch a lucrative partnership with American clothing brand Vuori in New York, ending his long association with Nike.
