Draper out of season-opening event in Australia

British number 1 Jack Draper will miss the first arena of the 2025 play pinch a hep wounded but is "very positive" astir competing astatine the Australian Open.

The 22-year-old cancelled a training campy pinch four-time awesome champion Carlos Alcaraz successful Spain this week because of a "little spot of a niggle".

Draper says he has now been advised not to play for Great Britain successful the United Cup squad title - starting against Argentina successful Sydney connected 30 December - and will besides beryllium retired the Davis Cup necktie successful Japan successful precocious January.

The Australian Open starts successful Melbourne connected 12 January.

"As I activity to get connected apical of my hep wounded and get lucifer fit, I person unluckily been advised not to play successful the United Cup," he said successful a connection posted connected his societal media channels.

"While we are very affirmative astir competing successful the Australian Open this year, I cognize I won't beryllium capable to jump consecutive into a packed schedule arsenic I negociate and fortify my hip.

"I'm gutted arsenic I was really looking guardant to playing successful the United Cup for the first time."

Draper has risen to number 15 successful the world aft winning ATP titles successful Stuttgart and Vienna and reaching the semi-finals of the US Open in a breakout 2024 season.

He will now walk Christmas successful the UK earlier flying to Melbourne astatine the extremity of the month. He is not expected to play immoderate events starring into the Australian Open.

"Together pinch [captain] Leon [Smith], we person besides made the difficult determination for maine to beryllium retired the upcoming Davis Cup lucifer successful Japan successful bid to springiness maine the opportunity post-Australian Open to complete the rehab and strengthening of my hip," he added.

That could unfastened the doorway for 23-year-old Jacob Fearnley to make his Davis Cup debut successful his first afloat twelvemonth connected tour.

In the absence of Draper, Fearnley - the world number 99 aft a accelerated emergence up the ATP rankings this twelvemonth - would beryllium the 2nd highest-ranked British singles subordinate available.

Cameron Norrie, classed 49th successful the world, could besides make his return to the squad aft missing September's round-robin event, wherever Britain were unable to unafraid a place successful November's knockout stage.