Jack Draper explains injury issue is still a concern as US Open title bid gets underway

Jack Draper has claimed he feels ready to start his bid for US Open glory despite admitting he’s still nursing a troublesome arm injury.

The world No. 5 has not competed in singles action since his shock second-round defeat to Marin Cilic at Wimbledon at the start of July.

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The left-handed Englishman has been struggling with a bruised humerus, the long upper arm bone that runs from the shoulder to the elbow, on his serving arm for months.

Since his crushing defeat on home soil, Draper hasn’t featured in competitive singles action in an attempt to recover from the issue.

The 23-year-old pulled out of both the Canadian and Cincinnati Opens, which are key ATP tournaments ahead of the US Open.

After an injury-plagued seven-week spell, Draper starred alongside Jessica Pegula in the revamped mixed doubles event in New York.

The pair beat Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz in the first round en route to a run to the semi-finals of the competition.

However, Draper has now admitted his arm injury is still troubling him going into his opening match in the US Open singles against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez on Monday.

“It was something I was playing through for a while,” revealed the British No.1. “I first started feeling it probably towards the middle of the clay season.

“I felt like my arm was shutting down a little bit when I was hitting forehands and on the serve. It kind of got progressively worse.

“Then on the grass it got quite painful. So I didn’t know what I was dealing with.

“After the grass, I got it checked out. I had some bone stress, bone bruising, in my humerus on my left side.”

Draper not blaming injury on Wimbledon woe

Draper remained adamant that his arm pain was not a factor in his second-round Wimbledon loss to a 36-year-old.

Cilic became the third-oldest player to beat a top-five opponent in the men’s singles at Wimbledon when he downed Draper last month.

The latter came into his home Grand Slam as Britain’s leading hope for glory, but failed to reach the third-round at the All England Club.

Draper continued: “It is one of those where, if you keep playing with it, it could become very, very serious. So I had to take some time out.

“Saying that, it was not so bad, because I could obviously do a lot of other things as well physically. It wasn’t like I had to stop completely.”

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Draper ready to go at US Open

Draper enjoyed a breakthrough Grand Slam at last year’s US Open, during a memorable run to the semi-finals.

He attempted to play down concerns that his existing fitness issues would prevent him from similar feats at Flushing Meadows this year.

“It’s an injury which takes time to heal,” insisted Draper, “A bone can heal, but it might be giving me some discomfort, that’s for sure.

“It’s not something which I’m going to go out on Monday and feel like it’s holding me back at all.

“But at the same time, I have been looking after this for the last month or so, so I’m looking forward to just getting back to competing.

“I think that will take my mind off a lot of things. I don’t feel like I’ll be holding back at all.”