Former British number one Jack Draper has been ruled out of the upcoming US Open in New York as he continues to battle a problematic bone bruising injury in his dominant left arm.
The 24-year-old player concluded he needed more time to recover after competing in two dispiriting matches in the United States. His decision to sit out the hard-court tournament at Flushing Meadows means Draper will not have played in a single grand slam event this year.
It marks a disastrous 12 months for Draper, who was ranked among the world’s top five players last summer but has now fallen to 143 in the global rankings. Without a late wild card, his low ranking would have forced him to compete in the qualifying rounds in New York just to reach the main draw.
Recent setbacks on court
Draper finally returned to competitive action in Canada earlier this month, but his comeback was cut short when he broke down in tears during the third set of a defeat against France's Terence Atmane. Last week at the Cincinnati Open, he lost the final five games of his match against young Spaniard Martin Landaluce.
Speaking to the Guardian following his defeat in Cincinnati, the former US Open semi-finalist admitted the ongoing physical issues had severely impacted his mindset. "It’s a difficult place to be right now. It’s got to a point with me where it’s taken probably one of my biggest qualities, my fighting spirit," Draper said.
In an effort to facilitate his recovery from the arm injury, Draper has changed his racket and strings while continuing to modify his service motion. However, the technical alterations have so far failed to alleviate the pain.
"I think that’s the toughest part," Draper said of his ongoing treatment and adjustments. "It’s like there are no right answers. You have to figure it out. It’s not as simple as taking time off and it’s going to go because it doesn’t. I’ve tried it."
A year plagued by injury
Draper's arm problems initially forced him out of action for seven months following Wimbledon last year. His only appearance during that period came at the US Open, where he was forced to pull out ahead of his second-round match.
Although he appeared to be back on track, a knee problem surfaced during the spring and forced him out of the French Open at Roland Garros. He made another return at Eastbourne ahead of Wimbledon, but renewed pain in his arm prompted the difficult decision to miss his home grand slam tournament in London, and his form has continued to decline since.
British field in New York
Draper joins a high-profile group of players sitting out the final Grand Slam of the year, including former women's champion Emma Raducanu and world number one Jannik Sinner. Sinner announced just a couple of hours earlier that he would miss the tournament due to a knee injury.
Arthur Fery's remarkable run to the Wimbledon semi-finals has stood out as a rare bright spot in what has been a disappointing season for British tennis, with both Draper and Raducanu repeatedly blighted by injury. Cameron Norrie has since overtaken Fery to reclaim the British number one ranking and will be the sole seeded British player in the singles draw in New York.
Fery, Katie Boulter, and Jan Choinski have also secured direct entry into the main draw in Flushing Meadows. Meanwhile, Sonay Kartal returned to court at the Lawn Tennis Association's National Tennis Centre in London this week after being sidelined since March with a back injury, though she will also sit out the US Open.
