US Open 2025: Jack Draper withdraws before second-round match with arm injury
Draper said before the tournament that he was "ready to go" despite struggling with a bruised humerus - the bone that runs from the shoulder to elbow - on his left serving arm.
He began to feel the issue during the clay-court swing in April and said it got "progressively worse" over the grass-court season.
Draper arrived in New York having not played since his second-round defeat at Wimbledon in early July, withdrawing from key tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati in order to recover.
The Englishman competed in the US Open mixed doubles tournament alongside Jessica Pegula last week and wore a sleeve on his injured arm during his first-round match.
Draper practised in New York on Wednesday morning but later announced he would be unable to continue in the tournament.
Former world number nine Andrea Petkovic said on Radio 5 Live that she was "not surprised" to hear about Draper's withdrawal.
"Adrenaline can do things to your body - you might feel fine for weeks and after a four-set match it can feel aggravated," she said.
"Bone injuries are difficult to handle. They can always come back if you come back too early."
It is a bitter blow for the Briton, who had his breakout major performance in New York last year.
His ranking points from his run to the last four will drop off after the tournament, which could impact his bid to qualify for the year-end ATP Tour Finals.
