LONDON: British number one Jack Draper survived a scare to reach the Queen’s Club quarter-finals with a gritty 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(7/5) win over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on Wednesday.
Draper was rocked by the world number 21 in the first set of the second round tie at the Wimbledon warm-up event.
But the 23-year-old hit back to level the match before taking the final set tie-break to complete his comeback in a tense encounter lasting two hours and 13 minutes in searing heat in west London.
“It was a tough match, credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis,” Draper said.
“In the first couple of sets it wasn’t pretty at all, I need time to adjust to the grass but it’s one more under the belt.”
“It’s an emotional moment. I love playing at home and in front of my friends and family. I think he’s gone to the beer tent, but my grandad is here! It’s an emotional moment.”
Draper, who reached the US Open semi-finals last year, is hoping to make a strong run at Wimbledon this year after failing to get past the second round in his previous three appearances.
The Londoner has made the last 16 at both the Australian and French Opens this year, rising to sixth in the ATP rankings.
If Draper can reach the Queen’s semi-finals for the first time after two previous last eight exits, he will be guaranteed to be seeded fourth at Wimbledon when the grass-court Grand Slam gets underway on June 30.
After losing the first set against Popyrin, Draper’s powerful ground-stroke dragged him level with a double break in the second set.
Popyrin clung on valiantly, saving two match points as he served at 4-5 in the final set.
In the tie-break he led 4-2, pushing Draper to the brink of a shock defeat.
But the Briton delighted the home crowd as he won five of the last six points, clinching the victory with an ace.
Earlier on Wednesday, Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut beat Czech eighth seed Jakub Mensik 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Mensik lost his temper during the defeat and received a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct at one stage.
Mensik won the Miami Open in March, beating Novak Djokovic in the final, having defeated Bautista Agut in the first round, but at Queen’s the teenager cut a frustrated figure as the 37-year-old Spaniard fought back after going a set down.
The Czech 19-year-old was 3-1 down in the second set, and after failing to convert a break point, he smashed his racket on the ground, which then slipped from his hands and flew into the stands, where luckily there were plenty of empty seats.
On Tuesday, French qualifier Corentin Moutet pulled off the biggest win of his career, saving a match point to stun American third seed Taylor Fritz 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 7-5 in a marathon battle.
The 26-year-old, who earned just his second career victory over a Top-10 opponent, will face Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in the last 16.
Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2025
