Draper survives scare to reach Queen's q-finals
LONDON: British second seed 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. Earlier in his career, such a test of endurance would have been too much for Draper, but he believes he is made of sterner stuff these days.
'Before I felt like my energy wasn't that strong, and I felt like I looked like a bit of a Ferrari but I was a bit of a Toyota, like broke down quite easy,' Draper said. 'Now I'm starting to feel generally stronger and confident in myself. 'I have felt better and better every Grand Slam I have played.'
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 appearance. 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. Draper will play Brandon Nakashima in the quarter-finals after the American beat Britain's Dan Evans 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
On the day he was awarded a wild card entry into Wimbledon, the 35-year-old Evans was unable to emulate his surprise first-round win against Frances Tiafoe. In Wednesday's other matches, Danish fourth seed Holger Rune fought back to seal a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over American Mackenzie McDonald. Rune, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2023, plays Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals after the Spaniard beat Czech eighth seed Jakub Mensik 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. – AFP
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