THE British No 2 has had to retire from this year’s Barcelona Open in the capital of Catalonia due to a knee-injury he sustained in his match vs Tomás Martín Etcheverry.
Before withdrawing in the third set, Jack trailed 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 against the Argentinian No 2 in the round of 32 at the Pista Rafa Nadal.
Draper broke onto the National Tennis scene in 2022, where, since then, he has suffered a plague of injuries, to his to his shoulder, abdomen, and now his knee.
However, that has not stopped the 24-year-old, who has still won three ATP Tour singles titles in the 2025 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells, the 2024 Vienna Open (ATP 500), and the 2024 Stuttgart Open (ATP 250).
This year’s Barcelona Open was meant to be Draper’s comeback after suffering a bruised bone in his left serving arm, before returning to competitive action back in February.
It was also a chance for Draper to restore his spot as British No 1, after fellow Brit Cameron Norrie overtook the left-handed server last month.
On the latest setback, the Surrey-born player said in a post on Instagram that he is: “Sad to retire in Barcelona. I have tried hard these last few months to stay positive and give my all.
“It will take some time, but I will work my way out of this. Thank you for all your support throughout this process!”
On Draper’s withdrawal, Argentine opponent Etcheverry added: “I like how he plays – he is a great fighter.
“Hopefully, he can recover as soon as he can to get back on tour because the tour likes him.”
