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.
On two pivotal points in his Indian Wells fourth-round match against Novak Djokovic, at 4-4 in the tie-break and then on match point at 6-6, Draper forced himself inside the baseline and unleashed two backhands, those shots driving him to victory. It would have been understandable for Draper to have played passive tennis in those decisive moments.
"I've been working hard to get ready for the UTS but frustratingly I'm just not quite ready," Draper said. "It's a tough call as I want nothing more than to compete but I've advised to take more time. Sorry to let down fans and miss out on the event."
"I have worked incredibly hard to improve my physicality on the court," said Draper, who plays Argentina's Federico Agustin Gomez on Monday in his first-round match. "I think part of it is my genetics and growing into a bit more of a man's body. I think that took me a long time." Draper's transformation has not gone unnoticed. At the French Open in June, his fourth-round opponent Alexander Bublik was the one responsible for the UFC comparison - calling Draper's physique "insane".
