Jack Draper has had to cancel a training week with Carlos Alcaraz in Spain because of a minor hip problem.

The British No 1 has been kept off court by the injury but is optimistic it will not affect his participation in next month’s Australian Open.

Draper is looking to build on a breakthrough season that saw him climb from outside the world’s top 60 to 15th in the rankings, and had hoped a training block with Wimbledon champion Alcaraz next week would prove the perfect preparation.

“I’ve been working incredibly hard the last couple of weeks to hopefully improve next year,” said Draper.

“I did have a little bit of a niggle in my hip area. And, in terms of going away to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos, I had to make that call because it’s not fair on him if I go and I’m not 100 per cent.

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“The whole reason I’m going in the first place is to be 100 per cent and go to the best of my ability with him. I hope it’s just a short-term little thing.

“I don’t think it’s anything too serious but, because of tennis and the way it is with timelines and short turnarounds, it’s important that I look after my body, and important that I don’t try and do anything to potentially make it worse and jeopardise the start of my season.”

This year is the first where Draper has managed to play nearly a full season and he has reaped the rewards, reaching the semi-finals of the US Open and winning his first two ATP Tour events.

While missing the week with Alcaraz is a disappointment, he is determined to see the bigger picture.

“It was something that we were really excited about, and something that me and James (Trotman), my coach, had been talking about for a while, trying to go out and and hit with the best players in the world and get that exposure,” said the 22-year-old.

“It’s obviously very disappointing that I can’t go out. But that’s the thing in sports sometimes, you have these disappointments, you have these little challenges and little setbacks that come in your way and you’ve got to think about how you’re going to make the most (of things).

“I always try to have a positive outlook on things. For me at this stage of my career, what’s most important is that I can have a long career.”

Draper is due to fly out to Australia before Christmas and start his season by representing Britain at the United Cup, with the first match on December 30.

He may be forced to change plans, saying: “We’re going to see. I don’t know where I’m at with it right now. It’s kind of a waiting game to see how it settles.

“I really want to play United Cup. But it’s obviously a long season and United Cup is at the very start. So, what’s more in my mind is that I’m going to be able to go to Australia healthy, and not just healthy but having trained well and be in a good place ready to play some really good tennis there.”

Draper was speaking ahead of a memory walk along the Thames in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society, for whom he is a sports champion.

Draper’s maternal grandmother Brenda has been one of the biggest supporters of his career but she no longer recognises him after being diagnosed with dementia in 2015, and he spoke movingly about the effect on him and his family.

Kate Lee, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, said: “We can’t thank Jack enough for his whole-hearted commitment to beating dementia. Since opening up about his grandmother’s diagnosis a year ago he’s raised a huge amount of awareness about the devastation that dementia sadly causes.

“Now, through his fundraising walk, he’s also raising vital funds to help us deliver our life-changing support services and scientific research that will one day beat dementia.”

:: To donate visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jack-draper-1731945840109?newPage=true

PA

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