The Australian Open starts in three weeks, but one top 10 player has already confirmed his withdrawal. It was, sadly, one we're not too surprised: Jack Draper, World No. 10 and British No. 1, who still suffers from his arm injury and is not ready to return to action.
The 24-year-old posted a video on social media explaining that he and his team decided not to travel to Australia this year, which is were all tennis action will take place in the month of January, starting on January 2 with the mixed-gender United Cup, another competition that Draper was expected to attend.
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"I've had this injury for a long time, I'm at the very, very end stages of the process and to step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn't seem like a smart decision right now for me and my tennis", Draper said, adding that this is by far the most difficult setback of his career, but it makes him be more resilient and hungrier "to become the player I want to become even more."
Draper played for the last time at the US Open in August, retiring in second round. He suffers a bone edema in his left arm, and has since missed every tournament since, including a few exhibition matches he was set to play this month. Draper reached a career best rank of World No. 1 after winning his first Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and reaching the Madrid Open final.