JACK DRAPER retired with a knee injury as he edged towards defeat in his first-round clash against Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open.

Draper began his clay-court season on a positive note as he took the opening set off the Argentinian but his form dipped as he struggled with an apparent right knee complaint. Etcheverry was 4-6 6-3 4-1 ahead, well on course to claim the decisive third set, when the British number two withdrew in discomfort.

The 24-year-old was seen by a physio at the end of the second set, receiving treatment and tape on his leg, but was broken twice more before opting to call it a day in his first outing since his loss to Reilly Opelka in the Miami Open.

Draper enjoyed a breakout triumph at Indian Wells last year but was subsequently laid low for almost eight months due to an issue with his left arm. Fit again, he lost in the quarter-finals of his title defence to Daniil Medvedev having scored a notable win over Novak Djokovic in the last 16.