Draper battles to edge out Popyrin, reaching Queen’s quarterfinals

On Wednesday at the Queen’s Club Championships, Britain’s No. 1 and second seed Jack Draper advanced to the quarterfinals with a gritty 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Australia’s world No. 21 Alexei Popyrin. Draper, who struggled in the opening set under intense heat, rebounded strongly in the second and fought through a tense third-set tiebreak to seal the win.

After missing two match points on Popyrin’s serve at 5-4 in the final set, Draper held his nerve to close the match with a commanding ace. The contest, which lasted over two hours, showcased Draper’s resilience and big-serving ability, as he fired 14 aces throughout the match.

One win away from potentially securing a top-four seeding at Wimbledon

Emphasizing the impact of local support, Draper credited the London crowd – and the presence of his grandfather in the stands – for helping him push through difficult moments. “There are days where I need that extra support… you guys helped me through that,” he said during his post-match interview.

This victory places Draper one win away from potentially securing a top-four seeding at Wimbledon, a scenario made more likely after Taylor Fritz’s early exit from the tournament. Achieving that seeding would mark a major milestone in Draper’s career and could provide a strategic advantage at SW19.

Next up, Draper will face American Brandon Nakashima in Friday’s quarterfinal. A win would mark Draper’s first semifinal appearance at Queen’s Club after previous quarterfinal finishes in 2021 and 2024.

London ATP 500, other second-round results (Queen’s Club, grass, EUR 2.522.220, most recent results first):

• Jacob Fearnley vs. Corentin Moutet

• Jiri Lehecka vs. Gabriel Diallo
• Reilly Opelka vs. Arthur Rinderknech
• Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jaume Munar
• Holger Rune vs. Mackenzie McDonald
• Daniel Evans vs. Brandon Nakashima
• Roberto Bautista Agut beat Jakub Mensik (8): 3-6, 6-3, 7-5