Jack Draper Advances at Queen’s
Jack Draper, currently ranked as British number one, advanced smoothly to the round of 16 at Queen’s with a commanding victory over American player Jenson Brooksby. Draper secured the match with a score of 6-3, 6-1.
On another court, the tournament’s top seed, Carlos Alcaraz, also progressed despite a challenging match against lucky loser Adam Walton. Alcaraz, the world’s second-ranked player from Spain, triumphed with a result of 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
Draper’s Performance
This encounter marked the second time in 2023 that Draper and Brooksby had faced off. During their earlier match at Indian Wells in March, Draper had to rally back from a 4-1 deficit in the first set to secure the win. This time around, however, the British player quickly took control of the match. After breaking Brooksby’s serve in the seventh game of the first set, Draper secured a double break, leading to a swift victory.
The conditions at Queen’s were hot, with temperatures reaching 26 degrees Celsius. While a gentle breeze provided some relief, it still prompted Draper to aim for a swift completion of the match. He broke Brooksby early in the first set and managed a second break after a brief medical timeout caused by a spectator, ensuring his victory without unnecessary delay.
“Good to be home”
Expressing his delight post-match, Draper remarked on the court where he had played, while writing on the camera. Looking ahead, he is set to face Australian player Alexei Popyrin in the next round, with aspirations of following in the footsteps of Andy Murray—Queen’s Club’s five-time champion, whose legacy is celebrated with the venue’s center court named in his honor.
“Can’t get rid of this guy. Andy is an unbelievable guy, someone I’m very inspired by and I wouldn’t be where I am without him. I definitely miss him on the Tour. Thank you Andy, this court deserves to be named after you.”
Other Matches and Reflections
In additional matches on Tuesday, Czech player Jiri Lehecka eliminated Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur with a score of 6-4, 6-2, moving on to the last 16.
Draper’s win comes on the heels of a disappointing fourth-round loss to Alexander Bublik at the French Open. He acknowledged the difficulties of transitioning from clay to grass courts, stating,
“It’s tricky coming on to the grass after clay, to adapt. I’m hitting the ball a bit late, not on time. The more matches and time I have on practice courts, I’ll get better and better. It’s definitely a surface I really enjoy playing on and obviously a win helped as well. I’m excited to see how I can get on this week. I feel excited, I feel ready, and I want to do my best.”
In Alcaraz’s match, he faced an unexpected challenge when his original opponent withdrew due to illness, paving the way for Walton to make his main-draw debut at Queen’s. Despite scouting his new opponent only shortly before the match, Alcaraz managed to overcome a shaky start. After breaking Walton’s serve in a pivotal seventh game of the first set, Alcaraz gained the upper hand, eventually taking the set and narrowly escaping a second-set tiebreak.
The match concluded with the crowd honoring the players’ performance with a standing ovation, reflecting the competitiveness and excitement of the contest.
