Britain’s Jack Draper needed to retire within the third set of his first-round match in opposition to Tomas Martin Etcheverry on the Barcelona Open due to a knee damage.
Draper, taking part in his first match of the clay-court season, received the primary set in opposition to Argentina’s Etcheverry 6-3 however started to have issue along with his motion and misplaced the second set 6-3.
The 24-year-old acquired consideration from a physio and had tape utilized to an space beneath his proper knee shortly earlier than the deciding set began.
His serve was damaged twice by Etcheverry within the third set and, after struggling to get across the courtroom, he conceded the competition at 4-1 down.
Draper, ranked twenty eighth on the earth, has been cautious throughout a return from an arm damage and pulled out of the latest Monte Carlo Masters earlier than the match.
He was absent for six months due to a bruised bone in his left serving arm, earlier than returning to aggressive motion in February.
The Barcelona Open was Draper’s fourth occasion since he made his comeback.
Etcheverry stated Draper is a “nice competitor” and is eager to see him again on courtroom once more within the close to future.
“I like how he performs – he is an awesome fighter,” he stated. “Hopefully he can recuperate as quickly as he can to get again on tour as a result of the tour likes him.”
Cameron Norrie, who changed Draper as British primary final month, beat Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 to progress via his first-round tie.
Norrie served out for the match at 5-4 within the second set however let the 41-year-old again into the competition earlier than he bought himself again on observe within the deciding set.
“I put myself in a profitable place serving at a set and 5-4 up,” stated Norrie, 30, who will play Ethan Quinn of america within the second spherical.
“I performed a bit of tentatively in two photographs after which I used to be very tight within the tie-break. I most likely ought to have received it then, however credit score to him. I performed at a extremely good degree within the third set.”
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