Jack Draper says hip problem was a ‘ticking time bomb’ at Australian Open
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Jack Draper described his hip problem as a “ticking time bomb” after limping out of his Australian Open fourth-round clash with Carlos Alcaraz. The British number one came into the tournament with little preparation after struggling with a flare-up of tendinitis, which he admitted he was still having to manage, during pre-season.
He then put his body through three five-set matches, spending more than 12 and a half hours on court, and it proved too much. After taking a medical timeout at the end of a competitive first set, Draper became increasingly compromised in the second and, when Alcaraz opened up a 7-5 6-1 lead, the 15th seed opted to shake hands.
“I have been unbelievably surprised with how much I have been able to play and put my body through, more than I have ever done before,” said Draper, who was the final British player standing in singles. “I think it’s just one of those things, just massive overload. This area of my body, if I don’t get that right and I don’t make good decisions, I don’t want to miss three or four months because of that.
“From the third game, I felt like it was getting worse. I actually woke up this morning, didn’t feel too bad. When I got out there and Carlos’ intensity – I’m someone who throws my body around, gives it my all. I have come and I played a ridiculous amount of tennis and I have broken down.
“From the third game, I felt like I had multiple areas that were really in pain, and especially the hip. “I didn’t feel amazing before my last match but obviously got out there and it felt OK. Maybe it’s a little bit of a ticking time bomb, considering I had no preparation and no work for my body.
