Draper cancels training with Alcaraz, casts doubt on United Cup 2025 campaign citing hip discomfort

Britain’s Jack Draper has cancelled a practice appointment with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the 2025 season citing discomfort in his hip. The world No 15 has also cast doubt on his 2025 United Cup campaign due to the same.

“I’ve been working incredibly hard the last couple of weeks to get myself to hopefully improve for next year,” Draper said at a charity event in London (via Eurosport). “I did have a little bit of a niggle in my hip area and in terms of going away to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos, I had to make that call because it’s not fair on him if I go, and I am not 100%.”

Draper made great strides in 2024, rising from world No 61 to 15 and winning his first ATP 500 title in Vienna, and playing the US Open semi-finals. He also scored an upset on Alcaraz, defeating the Spaniard (7-6 (3), 6-3) at the Queen’s Club Championships.

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The 22-year-old has been in impressive form in the recent past and understandably doesn’t want an undesired break from the ATP Tour, thus being extra cautious with his hip.

“I don’t think it’s anything too serious,” he added. “But, because of tennis and the way it is with timelines and short turnarounds, it’s important that I look after my body, and important that I don’t try and do anything to potentially make it worse and jeopardise the start of my season.”

What’s more in my mind is that I’m going to be able to go to Australia healthy.”

Draper is scheduled to fulfill national duty alongside WTA’s Katie Boulter at the 2025 United Cup. However, there’s no certainty of his participation in the team event:

“We’re going to see. I don’t know where I’m at with it right now. It’s kind of a waiting game to see how it settles. I really want to play the United Cup. But it’s obviously a long season and the United Cup is at the very start. So what’s more in my mind is that I’m going to be able to go to Australia healthy, and not just healthy but having trained well and be in a good place ready to play some really good tennis there.”

The United Cup will begin on December 27, 2024, and Britain is slated to take on Argentina on December 30 in Sydney, with Draper pitted against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

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