Jack Draper Opens Up on Emotional Outburst Against Jiri Lehecka After Queen’s Club Defeat

23-year-old Englishman Jack Draper missed his chance to win the Queen's Club event this year.

Jack Draper Opens Up on Emotional Outburst Against Jiri Lehecka After Queen’s Club Defeat

Jack Draper (via Punto de Break)

Jack Draper fell to a surprise defeat against Jiri Lehecka in the semi-finals of the ATP 500 event at Queen’s Club. The British No. 1, who revealed he has been dealing with tonsillitis, lost a tight match 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. Despite his illness, Draper pushed through several close matches earlier in the week and looked on course for his first Queen’s final.

The stats showed how closely matched the players were. Draper committed fewer unforced errors but also hit fewer winners. He struggled to take his chances, converting just one of six break points. At 5-5 in the final set, he was broken and reacted by smashing his racket, which damaged the electronic scoreboard. Draper said in his post-match press conference:

In those moments, I was thinking about everything, perhaps about the way I was playing. Ultimately, it is many hours of effort, many hours of hard work to put myself in that position, even though I really tried to rise up and control my energy…Obviously, I do not approve of this kind of behavior, but it was where I was at that moment. I was trying to give everything I had, I tried to compete on every ball, but in the end, I could not control my anger. I do not want to behave like that, honestly, but that’s how I am as a competitor.

In his post-match press conference, Draper addressed the outburst, saying the frustration reflected how he felt during the match. Earlier in the week, he had defeated Jenson Brooksby in straight sets before winning back-to-back three-set battles against Alexei Popyrin and Brandon Nakashima.

Draper now turns his focus to Wimbledon, where his past results have been underwhelming. He has yet to win back-to-back main draw matches at the event. Still, his recent Grand Slam performances—reaching at least the fourth round in the last three—combined with his new No. 4 seeding, give him a strong foundation heading into the tournament.

Jiri Lehecka outlasts Jack Draper in Queen’s

Jiri Lehecka reached his first grass-court final on Saturday at the HSBC Championships, ending Jack Draper’s run in front of a home crowd. The 23-year-old held off a determined comeback from the British No. 1 to win 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 at Queen’s Club. The match lasted just over two hours and marked Lehecka’s fifth and biggest career final.

Jack Draper (via X/The Tennis Letter)
Jack Draper (via X/The Tennis Letter)

The Czech player had not lost a set all week until the second set against Draper. Despite the momentum shift, Lehecka kept his composure in a tense third set. With the win, he became the first Czech man to reach a grass-court final at tour level since Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon in 2010.

Draper had hoped to become the second British man after Andy Murray to win the Queen’s Club title. Although he came up short, the 23-year-old will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 4 on Monday. That seeding gives him a strong position heading into Wimbledon.

Lehecka’s performance on grass is especially impressive considering he missed last year’s grass season due to a back injury. His run this year, including his 100th tour-level win in the quarter-finals, shows his growing potential on the surface. He will now face top seed Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final.

Jack Draper’s biggest opponent at Wimbledon revealed

British star Jack Draper showed visible relief after battling past Brandon Nakashima at Queen’s Club, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. The hard-fought victory not only sent him into the semi-finals but also guaranteed a return to the ATP top four next week. That ranking will make him the No. 4 seed at Wimbledon—an important boost, but one that comes with added pressure on home soil.

Jack Draper (via X/ATP)
Jack Draper (via X/ATP)

Last year, Draper was unseeded when he exited Wimbledon in the second round. Expectations were already simmering, with many seeing him as Britain’s next tennis star. Now, after a breakthrough season that includes three ATP titles and a Masters 1000 win at Indian Wells, he enters Wimbledon not just as a hopeful, but a real contender.

That status brings new challenges. Draper looked tense while serving for both the first and final sets against Nakashima. He nearly lost both but managed to hold on. The pressure wasn’t just from his opponent or the heat, but from the growing national hope that surrounds him.

With a top-four seeding, Draper will be front and center throughout Wimbledon. He’ll likely play on Centre Court in prime time, his matches heavily promoted across UK media. Chris Evert has warned about the dangers of overwhelming young players with pressure. Whether Draper can handle the spotlight may define his Wimbledon run.

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