World No. 15 Jack Draper has canceled his upcoming training sessions with Carlos Alcaraz and Flavio Cobolli in Alicante due to a minor hip issue. The 22-year-old British player had planned to train with the top-ranked Alcaraz but decided to stay home to prioritize his recovery ahead of the new season and the Australian Open.
Draper and his coach were looking forward to the opportunity to train with one of the world’s best players. However, the young athlete emphasized the importance of managing his physical condition to avoid exacerbating any issues.
“I’m not at 100%, and it would not be fair to him if I practice with him without giving 100%,” Draper said. “I hope it’s just a short-term setback and nothing serious. I must look after my body and avoid worsening the injury.”
Draper is set to begin his season at the United Cup, but he remains cautious about making predictions as he monitors his recovery. He maintains a positive outlook, recognizing that setbacks are a part of sports.
In 2024, Draper enjoyed a breakthrough season, earning 39 victories, winning his first ATP titles, and climbing into the top 15 of the ATP rankings. He started the year strong, reaching the final in Adelaide, where he lost to Jiri Lehecka. He faced Tommy Paul in the second round of the Australian Open but later avenged that loss in Acapulco, reaching the semifinals before retiring against Alex de Minaur.
Despite a challenging stretch in the Masters 1000 tournaments, where he secured only one victory in his first three events, Draper rebounded on grass. He captured his first ATP title in Stuttgart, defeating Matteo Berrettini in the final, and achieved a notable victory over Alcaraz at Queen’s.
However, Draper faced early exits at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games, losing to Cameron Norrie and Taylor Fritz, respectively. He reached the quarterfinals in Cincinnati but was eliminated by Holger Rune. At the US Open, Draper made headlines by reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal without dropping a set, where he pushed world No. 1 Jannik Sinner to the limit.
Draper also led Great Britain in the Davis Cup Finals, experiencing narrow defeats against Francisco Cerundolo and Felix Auger-Aliassime. After retiring from the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo due to abdominal pain, he returned to form in Vienna, where he claimed his second ATP title by defeating Karen Khachanov.
As he wraps up his season within the top 15, Draper is focused on staying injury-free and building on his success in 2025. “I have been working incredibly hard the last couple of weeks, trying to shape up my game ahead of 2025. However, I have experienced a minor issue in my hip area. I’m very disappointed that I had to change my plans, but I want to compete at my best in the season’s opening weeks,” he added.
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