Jack Draper was forced to withdraw from his opening clay-court match of the season on Monday after suffering what appeared to be a right knee problem during his Barcelona Open encounter with Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
The British number two had taken the opening set against the Argentine but required medical attention after his opponent levelled the contest by claiming the second.
Despite having his right knee strapped, Draper's mobility remained compromised throughout the deciding set.
His coaching team eventually encouraged him to abandon the match, with the 24-year-old pulling out while trailing 4-1 in the third set after managing only five further games following treatment.
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The retirement represents another setback for Draper, who only returned to competitive action in February following a six-month absence from the tour.
His comeback had shown promise, with the Briton securing an impressive fourth-round victory over Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells in March.
However, a second-round defeat to Reilly Opelka at the Miami Open followed shortly after.
A tour-leading 13th clay-court win of 2026 👏@tometcheverry defeats Draper 3-6 6-3 4-1 RET. in Barcelona.#BCNOpenBS pic.twitter.com/1Mk0JKXduV
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 13, 2026
Draper subsequently chose to sit out last week's Monte Carlo Masters, prioritising his physical recovery ahead of the clay-court swing.
While he continues to manage a bone bruising condition in his left arm that troubled him throughout last season, this knee complaint appears to be an entirely separate concern.
The timing of this latest injury could hardly be worse for Draper, who faces a crucial fortnight at the Madrid Open where he must defend a substantial haul of ranking points.
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Five facts for tennis fans | GETTY/PAHaving reached last year's final in the Spanish capital, the Briton stands to lose 650 points – accounting for more than a third of his current total – if he is unable to compete.
The stakes are considerable given Draper's dramatic rise and subsequent struggles with fitness.
Before Wimbledon last summer, he climbed to a career-best fourth in the world rankings.
Should he fail to participate in Madrid, however, he risks plummeting outside the top 40 entirely.
Speaking ahead of his Barcelona appearance, Draper offered candid reflections on the difficulties he has faced in recent months.
Jack Draper has been plagued by injury issues in recent months
|GETTY
"I think, with the injury I've had, I've not really been able to train properly and really work on my game," he said.
"I've kind of been in survival mode a little bit to get back on the match court and back on the tour. So I knew I needed a couple of weeks to really put in some work and earn the right to hopefully rise up the rankings again."
He acknowledged that managing his arm condition remains an ongoing process but expressed optimism about his trajectory.
"It's a slow process, but I feel like I'm going in the right direction," he added.