Jack Draper has followed Emma Raducanu by withdrawing from Wimbledon as a disastrous summer for British tennis continues.
Draper had played four matches in Eastbourne last week, eventually losing a semi-final against France’s Ugo Humbert, and appeared to be in good spirits when he spoke to the media on Sunday.
But on Monday afternoon, Draper released a statement saying: “I am devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first-round match because of 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 serving arm has been an issue for well over a year and shows little sign of being resolved, raising significant fears for his long-term future. He has been dealing with a bone bruise in his elbow, which continues to flare up whenever he plays at full tilt.
This news also raises questions about his decision-making. He was clearly not ready to play in New York last year, when he attempted to compete in the best of five sets from a standing start. And when he skipped Queen’s on fitness grounds a fortnight ago, it looked far-fetched to imagine that he would be able to compete seriously at Wimbledon.
Draper’s absence means that there will also be no appearance court side from Sir Andy Murray, the two-time Wimbledon champion whom he hired as a coach last month.
On Sunday, Draper said that Murray’s presence “does bring me a calmness and a sense of security almost, having someone [as your coach] who’s one of your greatest role models and someone who you love as a player”.