French Open 2023: Jack Draper forced to pull out injured from first-round match

Jack Draper withdrew injured from his first-round match against Tomas Etcheverry at the French Open on Monday leaving British hopes resting with just Cameron Norrie.

Draper, who had recovered from 4-1 to level the scores in opening set, started serving underarm in game eight following discomfort in his shoulder.

He held one service game but his Argentinian opponent broke to take the set, after which Draper called out the trainer for treatment on his left shoulder.

The 21-year-old had only just returned from a hip injury and has also been beset by abdominal issues this season. He said the shoulder issue had flared up when hitting serves in practice on Sunday and realised in game one on Monday that he was unlikely be able to see out the match.

But adamant not to abandon again - this was the 12th mid-match withdrawal of his career - he initially played through the pain parrier despite the advice of his coach James Trotman. Following treatment, Draper managed to play just one more service game before abandoning.

He said: “Yesterday during practice when I was hitting serves I started to feel a bit of a twinge on the bottom of my shoulder. I took all the things I needed to go on court today, hoping it would settle down. But it didn’t. It got worse. I had every intention to try to compete and play well, but after the first game, it was clear that it was very sore.

“I had being the guy who is injured a lot. It’s difficult. mentally, it’s extremely tough, tougher than playing and losing almost. Because you’re just coming back fighting from injuries and stuff. I put in a lot of work. I had a good week last week and I’m coming here feeling optimistic but it’s not meant to be. I feel a bit mentally destroyed.”

Britain was already without any players in the singles draw after six failed to make it through qualifying and with Dan Evans’ day-one defeat and Draper’s injury withdrawal, Norrie is now flying the flag solo for Britain.

As for Draper, he does not know the extent of the injury but believes it is a tendon issue, which needs rest but won’t curtail his ambitions at Wimbledon where he impressed last year in taking a set off Novak Djokovic.

Speaking before the French Open, he said he had confidence in his tennis but not his body. In the wake of the latest setback, he added: “It is difficult to have trust in my body right now. Honestly. I’m 21, I just need a bit of confidence and bit of a breakthrough with it. I’m sure I will.

“My tennis is there, I want to be one of the best tennis players in the world, it’s just my body that’s letting me down a little bit at the moment. But it will come.”