The US Open always brings surprises, but few expected one of the brightest young stars to bow out so soon. Britain’s Jack Draper, who entered the tournament as a top-five player and a real contender, has been forced to withdraw due to a lingering arm injury. The news left fans stunned, especially after his strong start in round one.
Just last year, Draper lit up Flushing Meadows with a run to the US Open semifinals, fueling hopes that 2025 could be his year. Instead, those dreams have been cut short.
The issue stems from a painful bone bruise in his left humerus. Though Draper fought through discomfort to defeat Federico Agustin Gomez in round one, the pain only grew worse. Ahead of his second-round match against Zizou Bergs, he announced his withdrawal.
In his statement, Draper said:
“I tried my very best to be here and give myself every chance to play, but the discomfort in my arm has become too much and I have to do what is right and look after myself.”
Draper is expected to drop from No. 4 to No. 7 in the rankings, putting his ATP Finals qualification hopes on hold.
At only 23, Draper has plenty of time to recover and reclaim his momentum. But for now, his withdrawal is one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 US Open a reminder of how fragile success in tennis can be.