Jack Draper has revealed his recent hip injury has taken a toll on his preparations for next month's Australian Open.
The British No. 1 made the decision to cancel a week-long training camp with Carlos Alcaraz in Spain at the beginning of December due to a “small spine” in the hip area.
Draper was optimistic that the injury would not affect his participation in the first Grand Slam in 2025, but he was forced to admit that preparations before arriving in Melbourne will be less than optimal.
“Honestly, I wasn't able to train the way I wanted to,” Draper said Sky Sports. “My preparations for Australia probably won't be the best.
“But that's the way it is in sport where you have to have ups and downs – and hopefully I'll give myself the best chance to play well there.”
Draper is due to travel to Australia before Christmas and had hoped to start his season by representing Britain in the United Cup at the end of the month, but doubts hang over his fitness and participation.
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Draper canceled preseason training with Carlos Alcaraz after experiencing hip problems.
“We'll see,” replied Draper when asked if he would be available for United's British Cup opener. “I managed my body, talked to my team. At this stage it's a day-to-day thing.
“Tennis is just a rolling wheel. There is every tournament, and it seems so significant, every event. And it is, because there are points available, there are many opportunities.
“But sometimes you have to make the right decision, so we'll talk about it every day as a team, see what's right for me and yeah, go from there.”
Draper's injury came at the end of a successful year that saw him jump from outside the top 60 to 15th in the world rankings.
Draper is yet to confirm whether he will feature in Great Britain's United Cup opener against Argentina in Sydney on December 30
The 22-year-old's blistering run to the semi-finals of the US Open showcased his talent on the biggest stage, but admits he still needs time to adjust to the rigors of the professional game.
“There's always frustration in tennis. There's always frustration in any sport,” Draper added. “You think you're doing great, and then you catch a crumb and you're not able to do what you want. And you have to accept that.
“You have to accept that incredible things can happen – there are really tough moments, and as a young player, I'm still dealing with all that – and also understand that sometimes the result is not the one that's incredible, it's not what you achieve, it's really just every day comes, you improve and you can do what you love to do.”
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British No. 1 Draper dazzled on his way to the US Open semifinals
He continued: “As a young player, I'm still learning to deal with the demands of playing on tour, week in and week out, against a lot of these guys.
“I've only played 120 matches on tour. A lot of them have played 400, 500 and I think how much I've improved mentally, physically, emotionally in the last 40 matches – that's a huge difference.
“So if I think I'm that far behind, I'm still able to do what I've been doing, I think I just need more time.
“I just have to keep doing the things I'm doing, have good people around me, keep the growth mindset I've always had and I think these problems will start to work themselves out naturally because I'm doing all the right things and I want the best for myself, so I think it will clear up.”
What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
- United Cup with Great Britain – 27 December 2024 – 5 January 2025
- Brisbane International (ATP 250) – 29 December 2024 – 5 January 2025
- ASB Classic, Auckland (WTA 250) – 30 December 2024 – 5 January 2025
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