British No 4 Jack Draper is out of Wimbledon with the shoulder injury he suffered at the French Open. The world No 55 does not need surgery but will miss the rest of the grasscourt season and won’t be back in action before mid-July.
It is the latest injury setback for the 21-year-old who admitted he felt “mentally destroyed” when pulled out in Paris against Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry when he trailed 6-4 1-0.
The world No 55 has already suffered from hip and abdominal problems this season and missed the events in Miami, Madrid and Rome.
And he revealed his shoulder tendon “really flared up” during practice on Sunday before his first-ever appearance in Paris and was forced to serve underarm before retiring.
Like his friend Emma Raducanu, the talented left-hander has struggled with the relentless physical demands of playing regularly on tour.
It was the 12th retirement of his young – and injury-dogged – career. In an emotional post-match press conference, gutted Draper said: “I hate being the guy who is injured a lot, it’s difficult.
“Mentally, it’s extremely tough, tougher than playing and losing almost. I put in a lot of work.
“I had a good week last week (reaching the quarter-finals at the Lyon Open) and I’m coming here feeling optimistic but it’s not meant to be. I feel a bit mentally destroyed.
“It’s extremely difficult to cope with. It’s really frustrating. But I will get there. It’s just a brutal sport.”
Asked when the last time he was fully fit, he hesitated and replied: “Before the US Open last year. It is difficult to have trust in my body right now.
“I just need a bit of confidence and a bit of a breakthrough with it. I’m sure I will.
“My tennis is there, I want to be one of the best tennis players in the world, it’s just my body that’s letting me down a little bit at the moment.”
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