Jack Draper using Queen's exit for motivation ahead of Wimbledon

South Wales Argus

6 hours ago

Draper missed out on reaching the final in West Kensington after he fell to a 6-4 4-6 7-5 defeat at the hands of Jiri Lehecka, who will face reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's decider, after the Spaniard's straight sets 6-4 6-4 success over compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in Saturday's other semi-final.
Though Draper can only watch their contest from the sidelines, he hopes to use the experience of his week in west London as the building block for a fruitful summer on the lawns of SW19.
'It's my best result here,' said Draper, who was battling a bout of tonsilitis. "I lost to a better player today on the day, missed a couple of shots here and there, and at this level you obviously can't do that.
'I felt like it was a solid week. I didn't play my best tennis, but at the same time seeing the improvements since last year and I gave myself a chance of being in the final tomorrow.
'I didn't quite get over the line but that's tennis really and I'm looking to keep improving from here to hopefully do better at Wimbledon.
'I'm obviously very gutted right now. I gave myself a chance of being out there tomorrow. This is a tournament I have watched since I was young and I'm always really motivated to come here.
'It hurts a bit more because it's at home. Obviously it isn't the big one, but every match I lose, I take really hard, especially here, so it will definitely take me a couple of days. All of my losses, I just use as fuel and as motivation to get better. Now I have got to improve some things in the next week.
'I'm really happy to be able to have four matches on the grass and that's a real plus going into Wimbledon.
Draper began his battle with Lehecka on the backfoot after going down a break in the opening set and the Czech star swiftly secured an early lead.
The British No.1 found a way back into the contest in the second and entered the third poised to complete the comeback.
But he was unable to carry that momentum into the decider, falling to Lehecka after two hours and nine minutes.
It was a chance missed and Draper's frustration was plain to see after his dream of a home final was denied by the Czech, provoking the 23-year-old to apologise for his temporary loss of composure.
Draper added: 'I have worked so hard to get myself in that position and I really tried to get myself up and get the energy going.
'I was trying to use everything I could. I tried to compete for every ball but in the end, anger just spilled over a little bit too much.'
Draper's exploits in reaching the final four at Queen's earlier this week secured him a top four seed at Wimbledon ahead of next week's all important draw.
That means he will avoid heavyweight duo Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, between them winners of the last six Grand Slams, until the semi-finals should he progress that far.
There, the eyes of the nation will be upon him as the great hope of British tennis and Draper is welcoming the weight of expectation.
He said: 'Obviously there is a little bit of pressure, but at the same time, I have really felt the home support. It's gotten more in every match I played and that's something that really is an advantage and drives me on.
'When I'm out there, I don't think about any of pressure. I've got a job in front of me. I've got to play point by point.
'It's a privilege to be in the position I'm in, and I'm going to go to Wimbledon and I'm going to feel amazing. I'm going to feel great about myself. I'm going back there in the position that I have always wanted to be since I was a kid and I'll prepare properly and the best I can to play some of my best tennis there.
'The home support that I will receive is going to help me to do well.'
Draper was not the only home favourite in action in West Kensington, with plenty of British action to be found in doubles.
Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie fell to a semi-final exit at the hands of doubles specialists Michael Venus and Nikola Mektić 6-3 7-5 but British interest remains thanks to Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool's victory over Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara to book their place in the final.
For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website