Jack Draper: Long-term arm injury rules British No.1 out of Mubadala DC Open

The former world No. 4 has played just 14 matches in the past 12 months, mainly due to an injured humerus that forced him to win after a long layoff.

“It’s hard to know when to push (and) when you can push,” Draper said at Wimbledon.

“At the end of the day I play a very intense sport, you have to play some things. Sometimes it’s too much, sometimes not.

“For example, if there was a chance I would be worse, I wouldn’t compete anywhere.”

Earlier this season, Draper’s comeback was marred by tendinitis in his knee and the three-time ATP Tour winner did not play for more than two months before returning to Eastbourne in June.

Reaching the semi-finals came at a cost, however, as the arm injury resurfaced at Wimbledon and Draper was “disappointed” to have to pull out of his home Grand Slam.

Draper, now ranked 147th in the world, has not played a major role since the US Open in August.

If he’s eligible to play in Flushing this year, he should be given a qualifier – or a wild card – to play in the main draw.

In Washington, Draper will be replaced by the lucky Mackenzie MacDonald.