Jack Draper is looking to have a good, consistent year on tour, but the British No.1 revealed he is taking “a lot” of painkillers to combat hamstring tendinitis, which hampered his chances against Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open.
Draper’s physical problems returned, and he The four-time Grand Slam champion went just two sets in his fourth-round clash with Alcaraz.
Draper entered the tournament with little training after suffering a hamstring injury in pre-season, which he admitted he still had to manage.
Then she put her body through three five-set matches, spending more than 12 and a half hours on court, and it was too much.
“Basically, I had tendinitis in my hamstring, which I had to get an MRI to look at,” Draper said during his press conference. “I’ve had a history of problems in that area and it hasn’t gone away, I’m still dealing with it.
“Obviously in the preseason it (moved) into my back and it was really hard. I’ve come here and I’ve been amazing at how much I’ve been able to play and adjust my body , more than I’ve ever done, I think it’s just one of those things, just massive overload.
“This part of my body, if I don’t get it right and make the right decisions, I don’t want to miss three or four months because of it.”
I’m aware of the injuries, especially in the past, I just want to make the right decisions because I don’t want to be out for months. I want to hopefully be able to play and be consistent, be consistent in my body and everything again.
When Djokovic was again given his preferred night session, Draper was not helped by planning as he had to play in the heat on the hottest day of the tournament.
He was under pressure from the start and looked a bit uncomfortable early on, but Alcaraz was erratic in the opening set and the Spaniard only managed to pull through.
Late in the second, however, Draper was barely able to chase down shots and Alcaraz was waiting for a handshake.
“All things considered, I’m incredibly proud of my tennis. The whole week was really bad, but it was my competitiveness and my desire to win in the last 16 of the Grand Slam I’m very proud,” said Draper, who reached the semifinals of the US Open in September.
“It’s really frustrating and I never like to go out. I’m the kind of person who likes to give it their all, but I’m aware of the injuries, especially in the past, I just want to make the right decisions because I do.” I want to be able to go out for months, hopefully be able to play and be consistent, be consistent in my body and everything again.
Draper was due to spend a week with Alcaraz in Spain in December but had to cancel due to injury, with the 23-year-old admitting the problem is a “ticking time bomb” which he is managing with painkillers.
“I have to clean up the tendinitis,” he admitted. “Obviously, there’s an injection you can do in that area. But obviously, it hasn’t cleared up much.” , what can I do about it. It’s not a long-term thing at all, I just have to be smart because there’s no escaping it.
“I’ve come here and played a ridiculous amount of tennis, and I’m broke. The key to being injury-free and consistent is that consistency in your body, where you’re injury-free, time to train and time to get your body right.”
“If you’re dealing with injuries and you’re playing through pain and you’re on painkillers, it’s not ideal.
“I’m just going to make the best of it and hopefully go to a run where I’m going to take care where I’m not playing with the pain and I’m going to be fine and I’m not going to take painkillers.”
When asked how many painkillers he takes, Draper replied: “All the time. A lot. Yes, a lot.”
Henman. A step too far for Draper
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Both Tim Henman and Laura Robson have named Draper as their best player of the 2024 ATP season.
Tim Henman speaks Eurosport: About Draper’s retirement.
“It wasn’t about motivation. He fought so hard with three five-setters,” said the former British No.1.
“I don’t think it would have made a difference if Jack had won the first set. I just don’t think he had enough energy in the tank to go toe-to-toe with Alcaraz.”
“Throw into the equation that he had a hamstring problem in the offseason, it looked like he was struggling with that area and probably his upper hamstring.
“I think to some extent Draper’s hands were tied. He went out there and tried, but it was just a move, unfortunately.”
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