Jack Draper’s impressive run at Queen’s Club has earned him a major boost ahead of Wimbledon, as the British No 1 advanced to the semi-finals and secured a return to his career-high ranking of world No 4. The three-set victory over Brandon Nakashima, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, not only underlined Draper’s growing maturity but also guaranteed him a coveted top-four seeding at the All England Club. This means he will avoid potential early-round encounters with either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner until at least the semi-finals, providing him with a favourable path through the draw.
Despite his progress, Draper remains self-critical. His performance, marked by lapses in concentration and inconsistency in his forehand, left him far from satisfied. Yet, in the key moments, his composure and resilience prevailed a testament to how far he has come. Draper, now 23, is still learning to trust his game on grass following his first full clay-court season, which demanded significant technical and tactical adaptation.
The shift from clay to grass has been physically and mentally taxing. Draper admitted that he’s still adjusting to the slick surface and regaining his rhythm. Nonetheless, he acknowledged steady improvement with each match and expressed hope that his game would fully click in time for Wimbledon.
He now faces Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the semi-finals, after Lehecka ended the strong run of fellow Briton Jacob Fearnley in straight sets. Draper will be aiming not only for a spot in the final but for continued momentum on grass as the Wimbledon Championships approach.
Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, continued his dominant form with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Arthur Rinderknech, stretching his winning streak to 16 matches the longest of his career. The Spaniard, still recovering from a gruelling three-hour match the previous day, managed to find a new gear despite limited recovery time. He admitted the quick turnaround was challenging but was relieved the quarter-final match was shorter and allowed him to play more natural grass-court tennis.
Elsewhere in the tennis world, Jannik Sinner unexpectedly fell to Alexander Bublik in Halle, marking his first loss to a player ranked outside the top 20 in nearly two years. On a lighter note, the world No 1 released a music single, Polvere e Gloria, alongside Andrea Bocelli, blending speeches from his tennis career with Bocelli’s vocals.
Back in the UK, Katie Boulter’s attempt to clinch a third Nottingham title ended with a three-set defeat to McCartney Kessler. After taking the second set and breaking early in the third, Boulter was unable to maintain her lead as Kessler surged back to claim the victory and a place in the semi-finals.
