Jack Draper has caused more concern after withdrawing from Wimbledon.
Draper pulled out of Wimbledon due to his recurring arm injury that he first suffered last year.
The former world number four missed nearly six months of tennis due to this injury, with Draper having bone bruising in his left arm.
There has been a big reaction to this, with former world number one Tracy Austin claiming Draper’s injury is the ‘worst’ from personal experience.
Tracy Austin reacts to Jack Draper withdrawing from Wimbledon
Austin reacted to Draper’s injury live on the BBC’s coverage, admitting that her son, Brandon Holt, who is also an ATP player, has been dealing with a similar issue.
“It really is sad,” said Austin. “Selfishly I have been following Jack as my son who plays on the Tour has a bone bruise. It’s just the worst injury, I did not know they were so difficult to get over.
“I read Jack’s transcript before the championships and someone actually asked him how is your arm and he said it’s great, everything is fine.
“I was surprised when he pulled out but these bone bruises are so persistent. It’s not the typical thing that you get over with the ultra sound. They take a lot of time to heal.
“I feel so badly for him because when his injury started he was four in the world and it has just been that and then the knee. He will be back but this has got to hurt.”
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Tim Henman says he feels ‘so bad’ for Jack Draper after his Wimbledon withdrawal
Draper has only played 13 matches so far this year, with Eugenie Bouchard and Tim Henman also admitting their concern for the former British number one.
“The thing with bone bruises is there is nothing you can do to heal it,” said Bouchard. “It requires pure rest. You can’t get surgery.
“There is not really treatment you can do, it’s really just playing less on it. I do have to wonder if playing all those matches in Eastbourne, it would have been preferable for him not to play that tournament or pull out when he was feeling the arm. It’s the bigger event, he wants to be playing this one.”
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Draper has not played a Grand Slam match since the US Open last year, explaining why it is so difficult for ATP players with injuries due to the best-of-five set nature of their matches.
“I think the hard thing is that with the Slams it is best of five sets for the men, so if you haven’t really played any tennis coming in, to say you are going to test it out over five sets is so difficult,” said Henman.
“To see Jack, I watched some of those matches and felt he was playing really well, and perhaps building up his overall fitness, I feel so bad for him and I really do hope he can recover at some stage to do himself justice because he’s a phenomenal talent.”
It is unclear as to when Draper will return to court, with his arm injury returning a real concern ahead of the North American hard court swing.
Draper is also ranked outside the top 130, meaning that he would have to play US Open qualifying if he does not receive a wildcard.
