British tennis star Jack Draper has described the current state of men's tennis as 'pretty worrying' ahead of Wimbledon, citing the high number of injuries suffered by leading players.
Draper, 24, has had his own struggles with long-term injuries, missing the Australian Open and French Open this year, as well as pulling out of the US Open last year before his second-round match.
He believes the demands placed on the top stars - a gruelling season with a short break, longer matches, and more physical battles - are responsible for their bodies breaking down.
Several ATP players have withdrawn from Wimbledon warm-up events at Queen's and Eastbourne, including Draper's SW19 opponent Taylor Fritz, to protect their bodies.
Draper also highlighted the elongated 12-day ATP Masters tournaments as a particular problem, saying they are going to 'suffer a lot' if changes are not made.
As he prepares to make his Grand Slam comeback at Wimbledon, Draper has found solace in his new partnership with former British number one Andy Murray, who has joined his coaching team for the grass-court season.