Draper says injury rate in men's game is worrying

LONDON, June 28 : Britain's Jack Draper says tournaments will suffer if something is not done to address the amount of injuries in the men's game.

The 24-year-old former world number four has had a torrid 12 months, cutting short last season with a bone injury in his arm and this year being dogged by a knee issue.

Draper returned to action for the first time since April last week at Eastbourne and reached the semi-finals.

The left-hander faces a tough first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday after being drawn against big-serving American world number seven Taylor Fritz.

Wimbledon is missing Spain's two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz with a wrist injury while Italian former world number five Lorenzo Musetti is out with a thigh muscle problem.

Other players not at Wimbledon include Denmark's Holger Rune, who is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and Czech Tomas Machac who is sidelined with a foot problem.

ARM INJURY

"I think my arm injury, for instance, is something that I couldn't foresee. It was bad luck. With muscles, it's more of like a load thing. Also bones are a load thing as well," Draper told reporters on Sunday.

"Last year I would say I did well in the Masters 1000s. I was really trying to develop my game and push my game more and more every week to reach those guys like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who play at an incredibly high level. I just broke down.

"I think it's pretty worrying the state of men's tennis, especially right now. The amount of injuries, especially through young players, Musetti, I know (Arthur) Fils has had a lot of trouble, Alcaraz's wrist."

Men's tennis has evolved away from short rallies often won at the net to a baseline game with long exchanges of groundstrokes with athleticism and power now key.

"I