Jack Draper says increase in injuries in men's tennis is 'pretty worrying'

Jack Draper has arrived at Wimbledon alongside a new coach, Andy Murray
Jack Draper has arrived at Wimbledon alongside a new coach, Andy MurrayJohn Walton / PA Images / Profimedia

Britain's Jack Draper says tournaments will suffer if something is not done to ⁠address the number of injuries in the men's game.

The 24-year-old former world number four has had a torrid 12 months, cutting short ‌last season with a bone injury in his arm and this year being dogged by ‌a knee issue.

Draper returned to action for the first time since ‌April last week at Eastbourne and reached the semi-finals.

The left-hander faces a tough ‌first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday after being drawn against big-serving ‌American world number seven Taylor Fritz.

Wimbledon is missing Spain's two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz with a wrist injury while Italian former world number five Lorenzo Musetti is out with ‌a thigh muscle problem.

Other players not at Wimbledon ⁠include Denmark's Holger Rune, who is ‌recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and Czech Tomas Machac who is sidelined ​with a foot problem.

Arm injury

"I think my arm injury, for instance, is something that I couldn't foresee. It was bad luck. ​With muscles, it's more of like a load thing. Also bones are a load thing as well," Draper told reporters on Sunday.

"Last year I ⁠would say I did well ​in the Masters 1000s. I was really trying to develop my game and push my game more and more every week to reach those guys like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who play at an incredibly high level. ‌I just broke down.

"I think it's pretty worrying the state of men's tennis, especially right now. The amount of injuries, especially through young players, Musetti, I know (Arthur) Fils has had a lot of trouble, Alcaraz's wrist."

Men's tennis has evolved away from short rallies often won at the net to a baseline game with long exchanges of groundstrokes with athleticism and power now key.

"I think definitely the way athletes are getting better and hitting the ball harder and moving better, I think it's my opinion ‌they need to really take a close look at what we're ​doing on tour," Draper said.

"I think the tournaments are going to ‌suffer a lot if not much changes. I think it's a really important topic."

Draper said time away from the Tour has been mentally tough.

"I didn't know I was going to have the year I've had with the injuries, not being able to play too much, ⁠watching your ranking drop all the ⁠way down again to the ‌start," he said. "Not (playing) for a long period of time, you're confused almost."

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