Injured Draper follows Raducanu out of Wimbledon as British losses mount
Tennis – Eastbourne Open – Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne, Britain – June 26, 2026 Britain’s Jack Draper signs autographs as he exits the court. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
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LONDON, June 29 : Britain’s former world number four Jack Draper withdrew from Wimbledon due to an arm injury on Monday in a second big blow for the home crowd after Emma Raducanu also pulled out before she could hit a ball.
Draper had to cut short last season with a bone injury in his arm and the no-show left the opening day of the third Grand Slam of the year already bereft of Britain’s two biggest tennis names.
“Devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury,” the 24-year-old said in a statement.
“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon.”
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OPENING DAY SEES STRING OF BRITISH LOSSES
Draper, who had been due to play big-serving American world number seven Taylor Fritz in his first round match on Tuesday, was replaced in the draw by Serbian lucky loser Dusan Lajovic.
The Briton had told reporters on Sunday that the number of injuries in men’s tennis was a concern and tournaments would suffer if something was not done about it.
Former U.S. Open champion Raducanu, 23, announced her withdrawal on Sunday as a result of a stress fracture in her lower right leg.
The British women’s number one had been scheduled to face Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Court One, a slot that went instead to compatriot Harriet Dart vs Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.
As the afternoon sun warmed the manicured grass of southwest London, the familiar exodus of British talent was well under way as a string of home hopes — some pluckier than others — came and went.
Dart was among them – putting up a brave fight over 2-1/2 hours before going down 6-3 3-6 6-4 to the 2017 French Open champion who served more double faults than aces in the first set and was no crowd favourite.
SCOWLS FROM OSTAPENKO
“I’m probably not the one who you wanted to win but anyway thank you, it was a really nice atmosphere,” said Ostapenko, whose scowls and grimaces during the match were replaced with smiles of relief after having to work for every point.
“Sorry if I was a little bit emotional but I feel like first rounds are always tough, especially when you play someone who is from here,” she added.
“When I play somebody local or just somebody that the crowd is supporting I feel like I’m angry inside … I mean, this is a very good crowd for her but I feel like to prove that you guys should support me in the next match.”
Other early British casualties were 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic, who lost 6-2 6-1 to Swiss 11th seed and 2025 semi-finalist Belinda Bencic, and Max Basing who went out 6-3 6-0 6-0 to Japanese fellow qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki.
Wildcard Felix Gill also departed 6-3 6-3 7-5 to 19-year-old Spanish debutant Rafa Jodar, the 23rd seed.
Source: Reuters
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