Jack Draper, the 24-year-old left-handed player and former British number one, has withdrawn from the Mubadala DC Open in Washington on Monday. The withdrawal marks another setback related to the bone bruising in his serving arm that has plagued him for more than a year.
Draper had expressed optimism about his physical condition over the weekend ahead of the ATP 500 event, and showed positive signs during practice sessions under the guidance of new coach Andy Murray. However, after experiencing increased soreness in his problematic arm, he opted to withdraw from the tournament. This mirrors a similar situation at Wimbledon last month, when Draper withdrew from his home Grand Slam just 24 hours before his first-round match despite initially discussing his fitness positively.
The injury has severely limited Draper’s competitive activity, with the former world number four having played only 14 matches over the past 12 months. Earlier in the year, his comeback attempt was also derailed by tendinitis in his knee, and he had not competed for more than two months before returning at Eastbourne in June. While reaching the semi-finals at that event, the exertion appeared to aggravate his arm injury again.
Draper remains hopeful of competing in tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati before the US Open begins on 30 August. He previously reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2024. Currently ranked 147th in the world, Draper would need to come through qualifying or secure a wildcard to compete in the main draw at Flushing Meadows. American player Mackenzie McDonald will replace Draper in the Washington draw as a lucky loser.
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