Jack Draper raised concerns after withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters.
Draper has only played three ATP tournaments since returning to tennis after suffering a bone injury in his left arm.
There have been mixed results for the Briton at these tournaments, with Draper reaching the Indian Wells quarterfinals, but losing his only match at the Miami Open.
Following his defeat in Miami, Draper pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters to continue training in London, and former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski has revealed what he thinks about this decision.
Greg Rusedski thinks Jack Draper withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters was ‘smart’
Draper caused some concern after withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters, but Rusedski has claimed he is not concerned about his compatriot.
Rusedski believes it was actually ‘a smart play’ from Draper, who will make his debut at the Barcelona Open in his first clay court tournament of the year.
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“I mean he’s a complete player,” Rusedski said on his podcast. “His backhand is so underrated, it’s one of the best backhands on tour, great forehand, great serve. And I think for him, missing Monte Carlo was a smart play.
“You know, start off in Barcelona, then you’ve got Madrid and then you’ve got Rome before Roland Garros, and then a week off before he plays in Paris. He doesn’t want to play four tournaments back-to-back-to-back.
“He’s only just come back, he’s only played the three events. He played in Dubai, he played Indian Wells where he beat Novak [Djokovic] and then he played Miami. He’s doing three again and that’s where he feels comfortable.
“Sometimes Monte Carlo can be like it is right now and sometimes it can be heavy, slow and really difficult conditions. Barcelona is always quick, Madrid is always quick and even when it rains in Rome it’s still pretty fast, so I think that’s a really good play for him.
“…I’m not worried about Jack so much, I think he’s got huge potential. If he’s healthy, he’s too good a player not to have the results and he’s a complete player, so he can play on all surfaces.”
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Greg Rusedski backs another British player to do well during the clay court season
Draper’s withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters meant that Cameron Norrie was the only British player competing at the tournament.
Rusedski is in Monte Carlo for his first tournament coaching Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and has been left impressed by what he has seen from Norrie on clay, who he claims ‘nobody wants to play’.
“Obviously [Jack] Draper isn’t in Monte Carlo, starts up in Barcelona, so again from a British point of view we want to see him doing well,” said Rusedski.
“Watched Cam Norrie at his practice sessions this week, he looks like a guy nobody wants to play, because he doesn’t miss and he knows how to work a clay court, and he has lungs that can run all day.”
Norrie has won two clay court titles, which includes beating Carlos Alcaraz in a final, and achieved his best result at the French Open last year by reaching the fourth round.
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