Jack Draper Scraps Training Block With Alcaraz Amid Doubts Over United Cup Appearance - UBITENNIS

Jack Draper Scraps Training Block With Alcaraz Amid Doubts Over United Cup Appearance

By Adam Addicott
4 Min Read

British No.1 Jack Draper has suffered a small setback to his off-season preparations after pulling out of his upcoming training stint with Carlos Alcaraz due to a ‘niggle.’

The world No.15 was set to head off to Spain next week where he would have been practicing alongside the four-time Grand Slam champion. However, he has been forced to change his plans due to a slight issue in his hip region. As a result, he is currently focusing solely on working in the gym.  

According to BBC Sport, the issue is not the same hip problem that troubled Draper at the start of 2023 but he is currently unsure if he will be ready for his first tournament of the new season. The 22-year-old is scheduled to play in the United Cup which will get underway on December 27th in Australia.

“I’ve been working incredibly hard the last couple of weeks to get myself to hopefully improve for next year,” Draper said of his fitness while speaking at a charity event for the Alzheimer’s Society on Wednesday.

“I did have a little bit of a niggle in my hip area and in terms of going away to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos, I had to make that call because it’s not fair on him if I go, and I am not 100%.

“It was something that we were really excited about, and something me and [his coach] James [Trotman] had been talking about for a while.

“To try to go out and hit with the best players in the world and get that exposure to the highest level possible on a regular basis to get prepared for the New Year.”

Elaborating further, Draper doesn’t believe he is suffering from a serious issue and there are currently no concerns about his participation at the Australian Open which will start on January 12th.

“I don’t think it’s anything too serious but, because of tennis and the way it is with timelines and short turnarounds, it’s important that I look after my body, and important that I don’t try and do anything to potentially make it worse and jeopardise the start of my season.” He said.

“I really want to play the United Cup. But it’s obviously a long season and the United Cup is at the very start.

“So what’s more in my mind is that I’m going to be able to go to Australia healthy, and not just healthy but having trained well and be in a good place ready to play some really good tennis there.”

Draper ends 2024 inside the world’s top 20 for the first time after a breakout season where he reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open and won two titles in Stuttgart and Vienna. He was also runner-up at another event in Adelaide. Overall, he achieved a win-loss record of 39-22 with four of those victories being over top 10 opposition.

He is one of three British men currently ranked in the top 100. The other two are Cameron Norrie (49) and the rapidly improving Jacob Fearnley (99). Fearnley was ranked 646 at the start of the year.

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