British number one Jack Draper endured a very frustrating season on the ATP Tour because of injury.
Draper is the ATP year-end number 10, having climbed all the way to world number four earlier in the season.
But Draper has played just one singles match on the ATP Tour since Wimbledon, having tried his best to take on the US Open.
The Briton played in the mixed doubles event with Jessica Pegula before winning his singles opener, only to withdraw with an arm injury.
Draper ended his season early due to his injury issues, but undoubtedly then surprised many by committing to play at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) Grand Final.
Jack Draper sparks worry among tennis fans ahead of the Australian Open
The UTS Grand Final is set to take place in London later this week, but Draper has now decided to withdraw from the event.
And the withdrawal has sparked worry among many tennis fans as the Australian Open nears, with one writing on X: “How bad is Jack Draper’s injury? I’m really worried about him now.”
A second concerned fan agreed: “At this point, I really wonder how bad Jack Draper’s injury is. This is so frustrating.”
Further worry arrived from another who said: “This… doesn’t seem good. Been an issue since June and he’s still not feeling ready.”
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Another concurred: “He hasn’t played in months if he can’t even get up for a silly expo where he doesn’t even need to use a first serve, I’m really, really worried now…”
And yet another worried fan said: “Ah…. I’m now seriously questioning how bad this injury is and whether it’s a long-term thing and will affect the rest of his career.
“Or whether he has a different plan, like flying out to Aus earlier to get used to conditions or Spain to train with Carlos [Alcaraz] like he was going to do last year. This has to be precautionary. I assume… praying that it is.”
The Australian Open returns to the calendar in mid-January, with Draper ending 2025 with just 39 singles matches played.
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It’s absolutely the right call from Draper, who would have been risking further damage by taking on the tournament.
He said of his withdrawal on his Instagram story: “Hi guys, I’ve been working hard to get ready for the UTS in London but frustratingly I’m just not quite ready.
“It’s a tough call as at this point I want nothing more than to compete but I’ve been advised to take more time. I’m sorry to let down fans and miss out on the event.”
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It is, of course, a shame for the fans who expected to see home favorite Draper in action, but he has been replaced by exciting French talent Ugo Humbert.
Alex de Minaur won the 2024 UTS Grand Final, with the Australian set to return to defend his title this week.
Intriguingly, he has also had his injury issues this season, and De Minaur has complained about the schedule, but he’s still taking on the tournament.
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