Jack Draper has canceled his planned week of training with Carlos Alcaraz due to a “little problem” with his hip.
The British number one was due to travel to Spain to train with the Wimbledon champion next week, but is limiting himself to gym work for the moment.
Draper is part of the Great Britain squad that will contest the United Cup from December 27, but he is not yet sure if he will be fit to play.
The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 12.
“I’ve worked incredibly hard the last few weeks to hopefully improve for next year,” Draper said.
“I had a little problem with my hip and in terms of going to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos, I had to make that decision because it’s not fair to him if I go and I’m not 100%.
“It was something we were really excited about, and something that me and (coach) James (Trotman) had been talking about for a while.
“Trying to play with the best players in the world and consistently get that exposure at the highest level possible to prepare myself for the new year.”
Draper says this injury is different from the hip problem that troubled him in early 2023, but it comes at a galling time for the 22-year-old.
He rose to 15th in the world after winning the ATP titles in Stuttgart and Vienna and has shown much greater resilience to injuries this year.
The US Open semi-finalist was speaking at a memory walk in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society in west London. Draper is an ambassador for the charity and spoke movingly about the impact of the disease on his grandmother.
Shortly before the walk, he described his grandfather, who is his grandmother’s primary caregiver, as an “absolute hero for continuing to do what he does.”
