Tennis correspondentPublished14 minutes agoFormer world number four Jack Draper will not play again this season, but says he is aiming to return to the tour at the start of next year.
The 24-year-old has been suffering with bone bruising in his serving arm and has only played nine events since last year's Wimbledon.
Draper missed the US Open, after losing in the first round in Montreal and Cincinnati last month - and was in tears during his defeat to France's Terence Atmane in Canada.
"I am taking this time to reset and heal so when I return I am 100% ready to go," Draper posted on Instagram., external
"Tennis is my purpose and passion and so when I step back on court I want to make sure that there's nothing holding me back from where I want to go."
Why can't Draper play, and why won't surgery help?
He is currently ranked 155, which means he would require wildcards or have to come through qualifying to play in Grand Slams and ATP Tour events.
But none of that will worry him if he is able to play freely and without so much pain.
Draper peaked at four in the world last June after winning a first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and finishing runner-up at another in Madrid.
"Last summer, all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together," Draper added.
"It was all going my way and the path seemed so clear. However a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging, and since that moment I've been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court.
"Managing so much change, adversity and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue."
Draper has taken a holiday with friends in recent weeks and has been trying to aid his recovery by taking a mental break from the sport.
He is expected to make a gradual return to training over the next few weeks, as his team try to work out the principal causes of the injury.
Draper used to play with polyester strings, but has been experimenting with natural gut - which is against his instincts, but should ease the burden on his arm.
He has also started using a lighter racquet, and is making some changes to his serve. Diet is another area being examined to see if that, too, could be a contributing factor.
Andy Murray remains part of his coaching team but will do a limited number of weeks on the road, and so further assistance will be required.
Over the summer, Draper benefitted from the help of LTA coaches James Trotman (who was with him full-time as he rose into the world's top five) and Alex Lisiecki.
A permanent coach to work alongside Murray will need to be found, however, once Draper returns to the tour.
When he does, much thought will go into his schedule. Not just because the bone bruising is unlikely to have healed entirely by January, but also because of the concerns many top players have about the toll the modern game is putting on their bodies.
