Draper, Raducanu Withdrawals Make for a Miserable Day for British Tennis at Wimbledon

Day 1 at Wimbledon was a depressing affair for British tennis. Hours after Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from her first-round match due to a stress fracture in her right leg, Jack Draper pulled out of the draw with an injury to his left arm. 

The nation’s two most marketable stars didn’t even get their feet onto the freshly mowed grass at Wimbledon. It’s been a common theme for the two British stars, as each has spent the better part of the last year battling multiple injuries. 

Raducanu’s news comes as less of a surprise, as the former US Open was seen in a walking boot last week. She tried to get her injury under control but ended up – apparently – making it worse. 

“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.” 

Draper, who was working with Andy Murray on the grass this season, was coming off a semifinal appearance on the grass in Eastbourne. 

Wimbledon, he hoped, was going to be his comeback Slam.

“There have been a lot of painful moments over the last 12 months, but this one is definitely the worst,” Draper said. “There is no greater honor for a British player than playing at Wimbledon.” 

Draper, who was slated to face Taylor Fritz in the first round, will be replaced by lucky loser Dusan Lajovic in the draw. 

The arm injury appears to be a recurrence of the injury that cut his season short in 2025. Draper had bone brusing in his left humerus and commenced his comeback to the sport in February. He played nine matches before he injured a tendon in his right knee at Barcelona this spring.

He only recently returned, playing four matches at Eastbourne, and was slated to enter Wimbledon with a ranking of No.131.

Raducanu has been replaced by Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja.