Draper stuns Wimbledon champion Alcaraz at Queen's Club

Britain's Jack Draper serves to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their men's singles round of 16 match at the Cinch ATP tennis Championships at Queen's Club in west London on June 20, 2024. AFP PHOTO

LONDON — Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock defeat by Britain's Jack Draper in the last 16 of the Queen's Club tournament in London on Thursday.

Alcaraz, also the reigning Queen's champion, lost 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 with the British number one claiming the biggest win of his career.

World No. 2 Alcaraz arrived for this grass-court warm-up event for Wimbledon fresh from his French Open triumph on the clay of Roland Garros.

But the 21-year-old Spaniard was undone by Draper, 22, who is bidding to become the first British men's singles champion at Queen's since Andy Murray won his fifth title at the event in 2016.

Alcaraz had not been beaten in seven weeks or indeed lost a match on grass in nearly two years.

Draper, however, put that record to one side as he became the first British man to beat a top-two player on grass since Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final.

Alcaraz was annoyed by the automatic shot clock, which forced him to hurry his serve, and complained to umpire Mohamed Lahyani.

- 'Credit to Jack' -

But he had no qualms about the result as his 13-match unbeaten streak on grass ended in decisive fashion, with Alcaraz saying: "I'm not too good right now.

"I felt like I didn't play well, I didn't move well," added Alcaraz, who begins the defence of his Wimbledon title on July 1.

"Of course I have to give credit to Jack. I think he played really good tennis today,"

For the 31st-ranked Draper, this stunning victory came hot on the heels of his first ATP title in Stuttgart last week.

"It was a really tough match," said Draper. "Carlos is the defending champion, he won Wimbledon, he's an incredible talent and amazing for the sport.

"I had to come out and play well and luckily I did. There's no place I'd rather be right now."

An enthralling first set ended in a tie-break after neither Alcaraz nor Draper had managed a break point.

But it was Draper who pulled clear with several fine serves to earn five set points, with the Briton taking the third when Alcaraz hit a return into the net.

Left-hander Draper earned the first break point of the match at 3-2 up in the second set and duly converted it with an excellent return of serve down the line.

Alcaraz saved three match points on his own serve at 5-2 down before Draper, a day after 37-year-old Murray limped out injured of Queen's after just five games, finished the job for a win that appeared to signal a changing of the guard in British tennis.

Draper will next play American fifth-seed Tommy Paul, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Chile's Alejandro Tabilo, in the quarter-finals.

There was more British success when wildcard Billy Harris joined Draper in the last eight.

The 29-year-old journeyman from Nottingham, who usually travels to lower-tier tournaments in a camper van, celebrated his award of a wildcard for Wimbledon -- and a guaranteed £60,000 ($76,000) -- by beating French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 7-5. AFP