Jack Draper is expressing his pride in being able to compete at the U.S. Open in New York following a recent injury setback. The British player, seeded fifth, secured a first-round victory against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez with a score of 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2. This win marks Draper's first singles match since his second-round exit at Wimbledon last month.

Draper has been dealing with a left-arm injury, specifically bone stress and bone bruising in his humerus. He admitted to some uncertainty about recovering in time for the U.S. Open due to the bruised humerus on his serving arm. Draper explained that the normal return-to-competition timeframe for his type of injury is about eight weeks, and he was competing at seven weeks, slightly ahead of schedule.

Despite the discomfort, Draper affirmed that he wouldn't hold back and was eager to compete. He mentioned that scans have assured him and his team that he is not causing further damage to his arm by playing. To manage the pain and avoid aggravating the injury, Draper has consciously reduced the pace of his serve in recent weeks. He had to refrain from serving for about a month and groundstrokes for around two-and-a-half weeks.

Reflecting on his first-round match, Draper acknowledged it wasn't his best performance, but credited his opponent's strong play. He also stated that he needed the match play to build stamina in his legs. Despite some challenging moments, including losing the third set in a tiebreak, Draper welcomed the test of the three-hour contest. He felt he was improving as the match progressed, which he considered a positive sign.

Looking ahead, Draper anticipates maintaining a full schedule for the remainder of the season. While acknowledging that he is still working towards getting back to 100%, he and his team will assess his condition daily. Draper's next opponent will be Zizou Bergs, with Draper leading their head-to-head series 1-0.