British number one Jack Draper is hoping to become the first home champion at Queen`s Club since Andy Murray achieved the feat in 2016. Meanwhile, top seed Carlos Alcaraz is expected to be the main attraction following his recent victory at the French Open, which secured his fifth Grand Slam title.
Draper currently holds a career-high ranking of world number four, but he faces a challenge to maintain this position ahead of the upcoming Wimbledon tournament.
His decision not to defend the title he won in Stuttgart last year means his ranking will drop below Novak Djokovic on Monday. Additionally, Taylor Fritz is also projected to move ahead of Draper after a recent return to form.
Draper is among the leading contenders for the Queen`s Club title, with the tournament starting on Monday. Fellow British player Jacob Fearnley is also in the main draw due to withdrawals, having originally received a wild card. Notable withdrawals include former champion Matteo Berrettini.
Selected First Round Matches
- Jack Draper (2) vs Jenson Brooksby (USA)
- Jacob Fearnley vs Qualifier
- Cam Norrie vs Jakub Mensik (CZE) (8)
- Billy Harris vs Gabriel Diallo (CAN)
- Dan Evans vs Frances Tiafoe (USA) (7)
Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans have received wild cards for the event. However, the defending champion, Tommy Paul, has withdrawn due to an abdominal issue.
Italian player Lorenzo Musetti, who lost to Paul in last year`s final, will also miss the tournament as he recovers from a leg injury sustained during his French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz, which forced him to retire.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is back on the grass courts after celebrating his success in Paris last weekend.
Jack Draper`s Projected Queen`s Draw
- R1 – Brooksby
- R2 – Popyrin/Qualifier
- QF – Tiafoe/Perricard
- SF – Fritz/De Minaur
- F – Alcaraz/Rune/Shelton
Carlos Alcaraz`s Projected Queen`s Draw
- R1 – Davidovich Fokina
- R2 – Thompson/Munar
- QF – Shelton/Opelka
- SF – Mensik/Rune/Dimitrov
- F – Draper/Fritz/de Minaur/Tiafoe
Alcaraz will be joined by former Queen`s finalist Norrie, who has seen his ranking improve after a strong clay-court season, veteran Evans, and fellow British player Billy Harris.
Draper begins his grass season with a first-round match against Jenson Brooksby.
The British number one`s potential path includes facing Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals and either reigning Eastbourne Open champion Taylor Fritz or fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz will start his grass campaign against countryman Alejandro Davidovic Fokina. American star Ben Shelton is also positioned in the same section of the draw as the world number two.
Sinner Reflects on French Open Loss
Jannik Sinner admits it`s difficult to stop thinking about the missed opportunities in his marathon match against Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open.
The Italian held three consecutive match points in the fourth set of the final last weekend and had also led by two sets to love. However, Alcaraz mounted a comeback to win his fifth Grand Slam title in what has been widely regarded as one of the best major finals ever.
Both players are scheduled to compete again next week. Alcaraz is the top seed at Queen`s, while Sinner will play in the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.
The world number one returned home to Italy after the defeat but hopes that getting back on the match court will provide some relief.
He commented, “It was definitely a tough loss. I`m still thinking about those few points, and I know that won`t stop anytime soon.
“But, on the other hand, I`m glad to be here, I`m happy to start a new tournament. I think this helps me get back into the match rhythm, and we`ll see how I react.
“You can focus on the negative aspects, but there are also positives. I`ve never played tennis on clay at this level before.
“I reached the final in Rome and the final of a Grand Slam in Paris, which is amazing. The level that Carlos and I played was extremely high, so I was happy to be a part of that match.”
