The tennis world received a jolt as British player Jack Draper defeated reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at the Queen’s Club Championships. The surprise loss for Alcaraz, who was also last year’s Wimbledon winner, resulted in a drop to the third seed for the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, allowing Novak Djokovic to ascend to the second spot. Alcaraz acknowledged his disappointment but commended Draper for his excellent play. Draper, fresh from his first ATP title win in Stuttgart, is now poised as a strong contender for Wimbledon and will face American Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals of Queen’s with an eye on becoming the first British player since Andy Murray in 2016 to win the tournament. In other grass-court action, world number one Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals at ATP Halle, despite a tough day in doubles alongside Hubert Hurkacz. Matteo Berrettini, another top player on grass, was ousted from the Halle tournament by American Marcos Giron, ending his run and highlighting the unpredictable nature of the sport. The Halle tournament also saw Jan-Lennard Struff advance to the quarterfinals after a strong performance against Stefanos Tsitsipas. As Wimbledon approaches, players are intensifying their preparations, with the grass-court season offering a glimpse into potential contenders and dark horses for the prestigious Grand Slam title.
Key points
- Jack Draper defeats Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at Queen’s Club, impacting Wimbledon seedings.
- Jannik Sinner advances to Halle quarterfinals, maintaining his position as world number one.
- Matteo Berrettini exits Halle tournament early, highlighting the unpredictable nature of grass-court tennis.
