Draper’s in need of a shoulder to cry on
JACK DRAPER admitted he felt “mentally destroyed” after yet another injury forced his retirement from the French Open, saying: “I hate being the guy who is injured a lot.”
The rising star has had hip and abdominal problems this season and missed Miami, Madrid and Rome.
Yesterday the 21-year-old said he suffered a “really flared up” shoulder tendon during practice on Sunday before his first-ever appearance in Paris. He tried to serve underarm against Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry but had to quit during the second game of the second set trailing 6-4 1-0.
Like his friend Emma Raducanu, the talented left-hander has clearly struggled with the physical demands of the circuit.
It was the 12th retirement of his injury-dogged career.
In an emotional post-match press conference, Draper said: “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.
“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 at the moment. Hopefully it settles down. I think I’ll be fine for Wimbledon.”