Jack Draper faces a battle to return to full fitness in time for the French Open after withdrawing from two tournaments due to a knee tendon injury.
According to The Standard, the 24-year-old has pulled out of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open in what is proving to be another injury-hit season.
Draper retired in the deciding set of his opening match in Barcelona earlier this month, having been treated by a physio and had tape applied to his right knee.
This came after Draper withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters and he now faces a race against time to be fit for the French Open.
The second grand slam of the season begins on May 24 at Roland Garros.
Draper said, “An aggravated tendon in my knee means I am not able to play in Madrid and Rome. It’s frustrating for sure but I am thankful it isn’t anything more serious, recovery is going well and I feel good about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros. I am looking forward to building momentum from there.”
Draper was absent for six months as a result of bruising in his left arm, returning in February in Dubai.
The British No2 then reached the quarter-finals as defending champion at Indian Wells, a run that included a superb win over Novak Djokovic.
However, Draper has completed just one match since then, a straight-sets defeat to Reilly Opelka in his opening match in Miami.
