Australian Open 2025: Why Jack Draper had to retire against Carlos Alcaraz

Draper enjoyed the finest year of his career in 2024 – winning his first ATP titles, becoming British number one and reaching the US Open semi-finals – and was looking forward to further improving his physical robustness before the start of the 2025 season.

But his hip injury, which Draper says flared up after a “week of pre-season” in December, ended those plans.

“Essentially I had tendinitis in my hip, which I had to get an MRI to look at,” he said.

“I have had a history of problems in that area and it hasn’t gone away. I’m still dealing with that.

“In pre-season, it went into my back and I couldn’t walk. It was really difficult.”

Draper said he was unable to play for “about two to three weeks” before flying to Australia between Christmas and New Year.

He began hitting again at Melbourne Park before playing practice sets against Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner in the days leading up to his opening match.

“You have to feel so sorry for him,” former British number one Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

“Each time he comes back there’s a setback and you lose that momentum and training time.

“A lot of players put their year into blocks, of competition, rest and training, and he’s being compromised all the time because his body is letting him down.”