British No. 1 Jack Draper has pulled out of Wimbledon just 24 hours before his scheduled first-round clash, dealing another crushing blow to the 23-year-old’s injury-plagued career.
The left-hander, who reached the semi-finals at Eastbourne last week, was set to face American sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court Tuesday.
But the persistent arm problem that sidelined him for most of the past year has resurfaced, forcing him to withdraw from the Grand Slam at the eleventh hour.
“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months, but this one is definitely the absolute worst,” said a visibly dejected Draper.
“I’m devastated. I felt good at Eastbourne and believed I was ready, but my arm just hasn’t recovered enough to compete at this level.”
Draper had spoken to media at Wimbledon on Sunday and gave no indication that the bone bruising in his serving arm was flaring up again. His sudden withdrawal caught fans and officials off guard, adding to a grim start for British hopes at the All England Club.
The cancellation marks the second major injury setback for the host nation in 48 hours, following Emma Raducanu’s Sunday withdrawal due to a stress fracture in her right leg. Their absences leave Cameron Norrie as the sole home hope in the men’s singles draw.
Draper, who has climbed to a career-high ranking this year despite his physical struggles, expressed broader concern about the toll the tour is taking on players.
“The amount of injuries we’re seeing among top players is pretty worrying,” he said. “Something has to change—whether it’s the schedule or how we manage workloads—because this isn’t sustainable.”
The 23-year-old did not specify how long he expects to be sidelined but confirmed he will undergo further scans in the coming days.
His withdrawal means Fritz will now face a lucky loser in the opening round, while Draper’s quest for a deep Wimbledon run—once a childhood dream—remains on hold indefinitely.
