Jack Draper injury problems continue as British No. 2 retires in opening round at Barcelona Open with knee issue

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Jack Draper's injury problems continued at the Barcelona Open, with the British No. 2 being forced to retire from his opening round match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry because of a knee issue. The 24-year-old, who withdrew from last week's tournament in Monte-Carlo, was playing in just his fourth tournament since being sidelined for six months because of a bruised bone in his left serving arm.

Watch: French Open concern for Draper as Briton forced to retire in Barcelona after knee injury

Video credit: SNTV

Jack Draper was forced to retire from his opening round match at the Barcelona Open because of a knee injury.

The British No. 2 won the first set against Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 but started to struggle with his mobility and the Argentine claimed the second set 6-3.

Draper received physio attention before the deciding set but was broken twice and he conceded the match while 4-1 down.

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Speaking afterwards, Etcheverry said: "He was playing unbelievable. He is a great competitor. I like how he plays. He's a great fighter.

"Hopefully, he can recover as soon as he can to get back on tour because the tour likes him."

Draper was playing his first match of the clay-court season, having pulled out of last week’s Monte-Carlo Masters.

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Video credit: SNTV

The world No. 28 has been managing his return to action after being sidelined for six months because of a bruised bone in his left serving arm.

Draper’s only match in the final five months of 2025 was in the opening round of the US Open in late August, when he beat Federico Agustin Gomez in four sets.

The 24-year-old then withdrew from the tournament before his second-round game because of the issue in his left arm.

He only made his return to the court during Great Britain's Davis Cup tie against Norway in February.

Since then, Draper has featured at the Dubai Open, Indian Wells and the Miami Open before this week's tournament in Spain.

Last month’s run to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, which included a win over Novak Djokovic, suggested Draper was close to being back at full fitness, but he then suffered a first-round defeat in Miami before his latest injury setback in Barcelona.

Draper is next scheduled to play later this month at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid, where he reached the final last year before losing to Casper Ruud.

Etcheverry will now play either Portugal's Nuno Borges or France's Adrian Mannarino in the second round.

TNT Sports is the exclusive French Open broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. Coverage of every court will be available to watch live on HBO Max.

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