Alcaraz’s class personified as private Draper texts shared after injury hell

Carlos Alcaraz’s class came to light as Laura Robson revealed that the world No 1 sent Jack Draper some private messages when the Brit found himself struck down by yet another injury. The 21-year-old has faced multiple physical setbacks in his young career – including at Indian Wells earlier this year when he retired injured while facing Alcaraz. And the Spaniard has been on hand to offer Draper a shoulder to lean on during the tough times.

Draper has endured a frustrating season off the back of the best year of his career. Last year, the British No 7 reached his first tour-level semi-final in Eastbourne, also making a Masters quarter-final in Montreal and the third round of the US Open.

Since reaching a career-high ranking of No 38 back in January, the 21-year-old has been sidelined by multiple injuries – including an abdominal issue in Indian Wells. Draper advanced to the round of 16 at the first Masters of the year, defeating compatriots Dan Evans and Andy Murray en route.

But he was forced to retire against Alcaraz after picking up the injury in his match against Murray. Draper then pulled out of the Miami Open the following week and was sidelined for a month. Laura Robson has now revealed that Alcaraz sent the young Brit some private messages of support after their match in Indian Wells was cut short.

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While commenting on Alcaraz’s match against another Brit – Dan Evans – for Sky Sports, the retired British pro shared the sweet story. “I was actually speaking to Jack Draper back in Miami after he’d had to pull out of the tournament there having injured himself in Indian Wells,” she started.

“He was getting texts from Carlos saying, ‘Let me know if you need anything. Reach out if you want to have a chat about how you’re feeling, about having so many injuries on and off.’ And just got the situation. And Jack’s got nothing but good things to say about him. But I can’t think of anyone who has got a bad thing to say about him.”

Draper managed to return from that abdominal injury a month later at the Monte Carlo Masters. But more bad luck struck when he injured his shoulder a few weeks later at the French Open and was sidelined for the entire British grass-court summer, missing his home Grand Slam event at Wimbledon.

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Now ranked down at No 123 in the world, he came back at the Winnipeg Challenger in mid-August and reached the quarter-final. Draper made a winning return to the ATP Tour in Winston-Salem last week but retired again during his second-round match.

The Brit bounced back quickly at the US Open, however, as he upset 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz in the second round to defend his ranking points from last year’s run. And Draper reached the second week of a Major for the first time in his young career, defeating Michael Mmoh in four sets on Saturday.

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