Draper himself admits that the arm issue currently disrupting his professional career is “complex”.
Imaging from the previous year revealed that the ex-world number four was suffering from bone bruising in his left humerus, which connects the shoulder to the elbow.
Known for a style of play built around a powerful serve and dominant forehand, the physical setback prevented him from delivering his usual strength behind those key strokes.
At first, he attempted to compete despite the pain, but ultimately pulled out of the previous season’s US Open ahead of his round-two encounter.
His subsequent course of action was to step away from the court to let the damage heal, as he quickly made the choice to cut short his 2025 campaign.
Choosing to bypass January’s Australian Open, Draper also sat out both Roland Garros and Wimbledon as he remained focused on protective measures.
While he attempted another return at the Canadian Open on 4 August, onlookers grew increasingly worried when he wept openly during an opening-round defeat against French opponent Terence Atmane.
Although he returned to action nine days afterwards at the Cincinnati Open, he suffered a straight-sets defeat to Spain’s Martin Landaluce, despite holding a 5-2 lead in the second set.
As a result, he has resolved to take an extended break from professional competition.
His management team expressed that he is deeply disappointed following this frustrating stretch, noting that a definitive timeline for his return to tournament play remains uncertain.
