Queens, NY—-Just one day after assuring reporters that his left arm wasn’t a concern, Jack Draper has officially pulled out of the U.S. Open.
The announcement came Wednesday afternoon via the USTA, confirming that Draper would not compete in his scheduled second-round match. His opponent, Zizou Bergs, advances to the next round by walkover.
Draper later addressed the withdrawal in a post on X (formerly Twitter), citing the same left arm injury he has been managing for much of the season.
“Hi guys, I’m sorry to say I’ll be withdrawing from the US Open,” Draper wrote. “I tried my very best to be here and give myself every chance to play, but the discomfort in my arm has become too much. I have to do what’s right and take care of myself. Thank you for all the support.”
The 22-year-old Brit had not played a match in over seven weeks prior to the U.S. Open due to a bone bruise in his left humerus. He made a winning return in the first round, defeating Federico Agustin Gomez on Monday, and appeared optimistic afterward.
“My arm is not a question mark,” Draper told PA News Agency after the win. “It’s more about how quickly I can get back to top-level tennis on hard courts, like I was playing earlier in the year.”
Despite missing both the Toronto and Cincinnati Masters events in the lead-up to the Open, Draper expressed confidence during pre-tournament interviews, even telling the LTA he was in a “great place personally and tennis-wise.”
“I feel refreshed, motivated, and I can’t wait to get back out there,” he said at the time. “I wouldn’t come here just to play a couple of matches. I’m here to hopefully go a long way in this draw — and I still believe I can.”
Draper entered the U.S. Open ranked No. 5 in the world, but the persistent arm issue has once again derailed his momentum in a season marred by injuries.
