British tennis player Jack Draper has withdrawn from Wimbledon on Monday, June 29, 2026, just 24 hours before his scheduled first-round match against American sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court.
The 24-year-old left-hander suffered a relapse of a bone bruise that previously sidelined him for seven months, according to BBC.
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The announcement follows another major setback for British tennis, coming one day after Emma Raducanu withdrew due to a leg stress fracture.
Draper expressed his disappointment through an official statement reported by Sky News.
"Devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury," Draper said.
"There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon."
He added: "I will continue to persevere through this. Thank you for the support!!"
Physical Demands and Injury Concerns
Prior to his withdrawal, Draper spoke to ITV News about his physical struggles and the demands of competing at the top level.
"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 obviously play at an incredibly high level.
I just broke down," he said.
Draper also raised concerns over the escalating number of injuries on the ATP Tour, noting the high frequency of upper-limb issues among younger athletes.
