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Draper: Surprised how much I've been able to put my body through

Briton reflects on hip injury
January 19, 2025
Jack Draper walks off Rod Laver Arena, recognised by his opponent, Carlos Alcaraz.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Jack Draper walks off Rod Laver Arena, recognised by his opponent, Carlos Alcaraz. By ATP Staff

Jack Draper revealed after retiring from his fourth-round Australian Open match against Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday that he was suffering from tendinitis in his hip, which led to pain he could not ignore.

“I had to get MRI looked at and stuff. I have had a history of problems in that area. It hasn't gone away. I'm still dealing with that. Obviously in the preseason, it [went] into my back and I couldn't walk and it was really difficult,” Draper said. “I have come here and I have been managing that. I have been unbelievably surprised with how much I have been able to play and put my body through, more than I have ever done before, especially.

“I think it's just one of those things, just massive overload. This area of my body, if I don't get that right and I don't make good decisions, I don't want to miss three or four months because of that.”

Draper won three five-setters to begin his season, battling past Mariano Navone, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic. The 12 hours and 34 minutes he spent on court in those matches did not help his recovery.

“After how much I have played, I didn't pull up amazingly well. I was really, really sore after I played my last match. Obviously managing this hip thing, which I have been managing the last week or so,” Draper said. “Wasn't expecting to come this far, actually, in all honesty. Obviously with all the hours I have played, been a bit too much on my body. I felt like today, you know, from the first couple of games, I felt everything getting worse. Yeah, not ideal to end this way.”

It All Adds Up

The Briton explained that he did not feel too badly when he woke up this morning. But after just a few games against Alcaraz, he could tell there was trouble.

“When I got out there, and [with] Carlos' intensity, I think it's such a spot in sport you're putting your body in positions all the time,” Draper said. “I’m someone who throws my body around, gives it my all sort of thing. From the third game, I felt like I sort of had multiple areas that were really in pain, and especially the hip.”

Draper postulated the injury could have been “a little bit of a ticking time bomb, considering I had no preparation and no work for my body”. The No. 15 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings surprised himself with how long he was able to manage the issue.

The good news is that, as of now, Draper does not expect this to be a long-term injury.

“I just need to be sensible, because there is no escape from it, especially here or whatever, the tennis schedule is so tight,” Draper said. “I've got obviously lots of events coming up. I want to have a good, consistent year. I have been on a good run in the last 18 months, been relatively injury-free, and that's allowed me to play the tennis I want to play and play well in these big tournaments and all those sorts of things.”

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With very little point play in the lead-up to his season, Draper was not particularly pleased with the quality of his tennis. But he still managed to reach the second week of a major for the third time and the first time at the Australian Open.

“My tennis has been pretty bang-average. The whole week, it's been really poor, actually,” Draper said. “But it's been my competitiveness, my fight, and my desire to win. That's got me into the last 16 of a Grand Slam, which is something I'm very proud of.”

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