LONDON - British tennis player Jack Draper is sounding the alarm on what he describes as an alarming injury crisis in the men’s game, cautioning that tournament quality will decline without significant changes.
The 24-year-old has endured a difficult year, sidelined by an arm injury that ended his previous season early and a persistent knee problem. He returned to competition last week for the first time since April.
Speaking ahead of Wimbledon, Draper pointed to a growing list of injured competitors. The tournament is notably missing Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, out with a wrist injury, and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, sidelined by a thigh muscle problem. Danish player Holger Rune and Czech Tomas Machac are also absent.
Draper attributes the troubling trend to the physical demands of the modern baseline game. “The way athletes are getting better and hitting the ball harder and moving better, I think it's my opinion they need to really take a close look at what we're doing on tour,” he stated.
He concluded with a stark warning: “The tournaments are going to suffer a lot if not much changes. I think it's a really important topic.”