Jack Draper Wins US Open Opener After Injury Hiatus

Jack Draper, the British No. 1 and world No. 5, made a challenging return to the US Open after a seven-week hiatus due to a bone bruising injury in his left arm. Despite struggling with his serve and physical discomfort—at one point vomiting on court as he did during last year's semi-final—Draper battled through a four-set match against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez, securing a 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2 victory to reach the second round. Draper acknowledged his performance was below his usual standards but credited Gomez’s strong play and expressed cautious optimism about improving as the tournament progresses. The 23-year-old wore a compression sleeve to support his injured arm and emphasized managing energy and expectations given his limited recent match play. Experts and Draper himself highlighted the importance of recovery and gradual progress, with Draper stating he was proud to compete and confident that continuing would not worsen his injury. Fellow Briton Cameron Norrie also advanced to the second round as his opponent retired injured.