\n<\/p>\n
In his opening match, Draper had enough quality to see off Halys. He did not possess quite enough sharpness against Rinderknech.<\/p>\n
Draper was again wearing a compression sleeve on the affected left arm, although a string of winners from his dominant side – including an eye-catching 100mph forehand which whipped past Rinderknech – showed he was not afraid of holding back.<\/p>\n
The Briton has also switched to a platform serve, meaning he stands with his feet slightly wider to allow a smoother transfer of weight, in an attempt to alleviate pressure on the bothersome bruised humerus.<\/p>\n
That illustrates how Draper knows he needs to continue managing the issue.<\/p>\n
Draper will be pleased how he pushed a tuned-up Rinderknech until the very end, even though he was unable to create opportunities on his opponent’s rock-solid service game.<\/p>\n
Rinderknech’s variation and precision on a quick surface was hard to cope with. But Draper’s lack of recent court time also showed in some rusty returning as the match reached its critical stage.<\/p>\n
Once the feeling of frustration which inevitably follows any defeat subsides, Draper will reflect positively on the strides he has made in Dubai – assuming he recovers without any major issues.<\/p>\n
Next he heads to Indian Wells – to defend the biggest title of his career – with valuable court time in the bank and the first step of a comeback likely to require patience completed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n