Draper withdraws from Dubai to ‘manage body’

Jack Draper has withdrawn from the Dubai Tennis Championships to “manage” his workload.

Draper, 23, announced the decision to miss the tournament, which starts on Monday, a day after losing to Andrey Rublev in three sets in the final of the Qatar Open in Doha.

Britain’s number one, who is set to rise to 12th in the world rankings, has said he will return for the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open next month.

Draper posted on X: “Unfortunately, I have made the decision to withdraw from Dubai Duty Free.

After a fantastic week at Qatar Open Tennis, I’m following advice to prioritize my recovery, exercise my body, and prepare for the most intense matches possible, giving myself the best chance of consistently competing year-round.

“I’m devastated not to compete in such a fantastic event, but I’m excited to compete again at the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open.”