Jack Draper has announced his withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships in order to “manage” his body and ensure his health for future events.

The British No 1’s announcement comes just a day day after he fell to a three-set defeat in the Qatar Open final, losing 7-5 5-7 6-1 to Andrey Rublev.

Draper, who has risen to a career-high ranking of 12th in the world following his run to the final in Doha, has spoken a number of times in the past about the importance of maintaining his body in peak condition to safeguard his fitness for the top matches.

The 23-year-old endured hip problems earlier in the season – at the Australian Open notably, where he was forced to retire against Carlos Alcaraz – and he also missed playing in Rotterdam as a result.

The Dubai Tennis Championships begin on Monday but, following a period of recovery, Draper is targeting a return at next month’s Indian Wells tournament.

In a post on X, Draper said: “Unfortunately, I have made the decision to withdraw from Dubai Duty Free.

“After a great week at Qatar Open Tennis I’m taking onboard advice to prioritise my recovery and manage my body after a number of long matches, and give myself the best chance of competing consistently throughout the year.

“I’m gutted not to compete at such an amazing event but will look forward to returning to competition at BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open.”

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