'I need to look after myself' - Draper out of US Open with arm injury

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app

British number one Jack Draper has withdrawn from the US Open because of an arm injury.

The fifth seed was seen as one of the contenders for the title at Flushing Meadows, having reached the semi-finals last year, but his preparations were disrupted by the injury.

The 23-year-old came through his first-round match against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez in four tricky sets on Tuesday.

He was due to play Belgium's Zizou Bergs on Thursday.

"I tried my very best to be here and give myself the every chance to play but the discomfort in my arm has become too much," Draper wrote in a statement on X.

"I have to do what is right and look after myself."

Draper said before the tournament that he was "ready to go" despite struggling with a bruised humerus - the bone that runs from the shoulder to elbow - on his left serving arm.

He arrived in New York having not played since his second-round defeat at Wimbledon in early July, having withdrawn from key tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati in order to recover.

The Englishman competed in the US Open mixed doubles tournament alongside Jessica Pegula last week and wore a sleeve on his injured arm during his first-round match.

He admitted afterwards his presence at the tournament had been in doubt, saying: "I wasn't too sure if I was going to make it here."

Draper practised in New York on Wednesday morning but later announced he would be unable to continue in the tournament.

It is a bitter blow for the Briton, who had his breakout major performance in New York last year.

His ranking points from his run to the last four will drop off after the tournament, which could impact his bid to qualify for the year-end ATP Tour Finals.