Jack Draper was given a stern check of his grasscourt title credentials with a troublesome three-set victory towards Alexei Popyrin on a baking sizzling day at Queen’s Membership.
The second seed on the ATP 500 occasion in west London misplaced the opening set earlier than digging deep to seal a 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) success on the Andy Murray Area.
The 23-year-old dropped the opening set to difficult Australian world No 21 Popyrin, however gathered himself to degree the match.
He then got here by a deciding-set tie-break to win a gruelling contest in two hours and 13 minutes.
If Draper breaks new floor and reaches a maiden semi-final in west London, he can be seeded fourth at Wimbledon.
“It was a tough match, credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis,” mentioned Draper, who may subsequent face an all-British showdown towards Dan Evans, ranked world No 199, on the HSBC Championships.
“My household is right here and my associates are right here and I really like being at house, taking part in in entrance of household and associates. It’s an emotional second for me.
“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.”
Draper compelled two break factors within the seventh recreation of the primary set, however two 130mph aces acquired Popyrin out of hassle.
The Briton then misplaced focus momentarily and earlier than he knew it, Popyrin had three break factors.
The set shortly disappeared, though play was briefly held up when a weird gust of wind engulfed the Andy Murray Area, sending a spectator’s hat flying into Popyrin and huge bits of felt from the boundaries swirling on to the court docket.
Nonetheless, it was Draper who acquired a second wind with a double break to attract degree.
His serving acquired him in hassle and again out of it after a double-fault gave Popyrin a break level at the beginning of the decider, with a giant serve after which an ace clinching a significant maintain.
Popyrin clung on valiantly, saving two match factors as he served at 4-5, and within the tie-break he led 4-2.
However Draper stepped on the fuel to win 5 of the final six factors, ending the job with an ace.
‘Draper appears to be like like he desires to play fearless tennis’
Sky Sports activities commentator, Jonathan Overend, mirrored on Draper’s win, saying: “Grass-court tennis rewards the fearless and Draper, for me, looks like he wants to play fearless tennis on return and that could be so crucial come Wimbledon time.
“With return, there is a extra stark distinction in case you say Novak Djokovic is the very best returner and he is 10 out of 10, properly the fiftieth greatest returner on the earth is extra like a six out of 10, relatively than an eight out of 10 for the serve, so there’s a large distinction there.
“It means there are fewer guys who are able to make the change, make the impact on those big moments on grass and I think Draper is absolutely one of those guys who can do that.”
Discussing the third-set tie-break, Overend added: “I make the point about seizing the moment, Draper had one more turn late in the tie-break to try to get over the line, so he goes to his bag and changes his racket.
“I assume he went for a tighter string pressure to get a bit extra management on the following return as a result of he is aware of he has to hit a defensive return as a result of Popyrin is serving huge however he desires extra management as a result of the final one drifted lengthy. However this one stays in and he is capable of get that time.
“It was clever and astute, sort of quick thinking, which is going to be required in those big moments at Wimbledon.”
Earlier, Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Czech Jakub Mensik 3-6 6-3 7-5 to succeed in the quarter-finals for the primary time since his earlier look right here in 2016.
High seed Carlos Alcaraz, the 2023 champion, is again in motion towards fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar on Thursday.
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