Jack Draper has issued a stark warning about the growing injury crisis in men's tennis, as the British No. 2 prepares to face Taylor Fritz in the first round of Wimbledon. The 24-year-old, who has been sidelined for much of the past year with bone bruising, knee and shoulder issues, will play only his 15th match since last year's tournament.
Draper, a former US Open semi-finalist, highlighted the alarming number of injuries among young players, with 10 withdrawals on the men's side already, including two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz. He called for a review of the tour schedule, particularly the 12-day Masters 1000 events, warning that tournaments will suffer if changes are not made.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams was beaten in her Wimbledon return by Maya Joint in a three-set thriller on Centre Court. The 44-year-old seven-time champion lost 6-3 6-7 6-3, denying her a first SW19 win since 2019. Britain's Katie Boulter also lost, but Katie Swan and Arthur Fery secured victories.
A record 10 British players crashed out in the first round on Monday. Defending champion Jannik Sinner begins his title defence against Miomir Kecmanovic, while Novak Djokovic starts his quest for an eighth Wimbledon crown against Yibing Wu.
Off the court, protesters from Save Wimbledon Park demonstrated against the All England Club's proposed expansion onto the former golf course site. The queue for tickets remains a popular tradition, with Lavazza offering free coffee to fans waiting overnight.
