Jack Draper has withdrawn from this weekend’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), a tennis exhibition in London, as he continues to manage his return from a serious arm injury.
The 23-year-old has only played one singles match since his second round loss to Wimbledon this summer and hasn’t played at all since US Open due to bone bruises on the left arm.
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He was planning to make his return during this weekend’s three-day event at Copper Box Arenabut instead chose to delay his return.
The British No1 said on social media: “I’ve worked hard to prepare for UTS but, frustratingly, I’m just not quite ready.
“It’s a difficult decision as I want nothing more than to compete, but I have been advised to take more time. Sorry to disappoint the fans and miss the event.”
A scan after Draper’s loss to Marin Cilic at Wimbledon revealed painful bone bruises in his upper serving arm, which had troubled him throughout the clay-court season.
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The world number 10 was given eight to nine weeks after Wimbledon to recover, and despite increased pain, a scan before the US Open came back clear.
He played the mixed doubles tournament alongside Jessica and Pegula and won his opening singles match at Flushing Meadows, but withdrew before the second roundAnd chose to end his season early to let the wound heal completely.
Draper said The Independent in November: “Basically I think I had a scan that gave me false hope, that was maybe misreported. I don’t regret playing (the US Open) because I’m an athlete, I want to achieve great things. I was in such a good place before Wimbledon, with my ranking, with my tennis, that I wanted to continue. It was just a shame that it wasn’t something I could continue with.”
Despite barely playing a match in the second half of the season, Draper finished the year in the top 10 after an outstanding first half, which included two Masters 1000 finals and a first title at that level at Indian Wells.
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Founder Patrick Mouratoglou offered Draper a wildcard into UTS, a short-format tournament with each match consisting of four eight-minute quarters.
He is now expected to make his return to the tour at the United Cup, a mixed team tournament in Perth in early January. The first grand slam of the season, the Australian Open, begins on January 18 in Melbourne.
