Archive June 21, 2025

Jiri Lehecka’s defeat of Jack Draper’s chances of winning Queen’s ended his reign as British number one after he was defeated in a thrilling semi-final while battling tonsillitis.

The 23-year-old lost 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to a friend who had suffered from a few days of illness, but he said he “wouldn’t have pulled out for anything” as he pursued a childhood dream to reach the final on home soil.

After falling behind in the first set, Draper had recovered and faced his Czech opponent in the third.

However, Lehecka’s crucial break, 5-5, caused Draper to smash his racquet into the advertising swag because he was aware of how detrimental that would be to his chances.

Lehecka won the matchup in west London, and it proved as he did as he advanced to the final on Sunday against top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4.

Lehecka, the world’s number 30, will reach his fifth ATP Tour final, but the wait is on his record-equaling British singles champion since Andy Murray, the most recent winner, in 2016.

Before resuming his preparations for Wimbledon, which begins on June 30th, Draper will now take a few days off.

Draper, who was given tonsillitis on Friday, described today as “probably the worst I have felt.”

As Wimbledon draws near, Draper can be encouraged by his overall performance, despite the disappointment he felt when he didn’t make it to the final, something he had a dream of as a child.

His passage to the last four ensures that he enters the tournament in good health and that he will avoid defending champion Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner until at least the semi-finals as one of the top four seeds.

Lehecka’s serve was a potent weapon in the first set, but Draper’s turn came as he began to find ways to defeat his rival with some incredible shots.

A tense moment came when Draper and the audience questioned whether a winner at set point had been landed in before the automated line call had confirmed it, which sparked a roar from the British player and the Andy Murray Arena crowd.

Lehecka then appeared to be under a lot of pressure, but he did well, making Draper vulnerable in the decisive before a big backhand winner in the eleventh game gave him the match-deciding break and made the Briton scream out in frustration on his racquet.

Draper described his racquet-smashing as “I don’t condone that behavior, but at the same time, that’s kind of where I was today.”

“I was attempting to make the best use of it.” I made an effort to compete for every ball. However, ultimately, anger simply poured over a little too much.

Before Draper devotes all of his time to advancing beyond his previous best efforts at Wimbledon, where he will be regarded as the greatest British hope in the men’s draw, Draper now has a short break before he begins to focus on doing so.

Although he has never advanced past the second round of the tournament, his current form suggests that this year there is a good chance of him winning the Grand Slam.

Jamie Murray, a multi-Grand Slam winner and Queen’s tournament director, told BBC Sport, “He is an amazing competitor.”

He moves incredibly well despite being big. He has a left hand that, unlike right-handers, will not be able to use in defensive situations.

We are anticipating a fantastic Wimbledon for him because he is having an amazing year.

Alcaraz comfortably defeated fellow rival Bautista Agut in the second semi-final at Queen’s Club to advance to the final.

Alcaraz is likely to win the matchup when he launches his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title later this month, having already won four titles this year.

The 22-year-old has won 17 games in a row in Barcelona, breaking their longest winning streak since April 20.

After winning the Rome Open and French Open in 2023, he will now look for a second Queen’s title.

Making the Queen’s final is very special because I’m trying to feel more at ease. Alcaraz said, “I guess grass-court mode is on.”

I always try to do the things that make me smile when I play tennis the best, so I just try to do that.

In the opening game, Bautista Agut was on the back foot and had to save two break points.

Alcaraz, the second-ranked player in the blazing heat, found the crucial break in Bautista Agut’s next service match.

After dropping his racquet low to the grass to volley a drop shot winner, he sealed the opening set with possibly the match’s shot, earning his opponent a wry smile.

Alcaraz threatened a second break early in the second set, but Bautista Agut, 37, held her ground as the oldest player in Queen’s men’s singles draw this year, held on.

Alcaraz kept his foot on the gas in the fifth game and earned a break, as was the case in the first set.

However, the top seed was required to defend break point when leading 4-3 before proceeding to the championship with a forehand winner in an hour and 30 minutes.

Betfred Super League

Warrington Wolves (16):

Goals: Sneyd 2

Huddersfield Giants (14) 24

As a result of Warrington’s unsuccessful attempt to resurrect, struggling Huddersfield held on for just their second Super League victory of the year.

Jacob Gagai and Jake Bibby scored tries before Marc Sneyd scored the hosts.

After the break, Taane Milne’s score gave the Giants a second chance before Gagai’s second of the day put the visitors up by three scores.

The Wolves were soon given a second chance by Toby King, and Jake Thewlis’ spectacular finish gave them a brief moment of hope. However, Sneyd was unable to convert the goal, and the Giants won.

With 15 games left, Wakefield is now four points clear of the play-off spots thanks to Friday’s impressive victory over second-placed Wigan.

Salford is now two points clear of Huddersfield, whose only previous victory this year was against Hull FC at Magic Weekend in May.

After 15 minutes, Tui Lolohea intercepted a George Williams pass and ran down the field before giving it to Gagai.

When Bibby went over in the corner and scored a late penalty for Matt Frawley, things turned out badly for Warrington.

Sneyd put the Wolves back in it with strong footwork, but the impressive George Flanagan converted and scored a penalty before the break to give the Giants a 14-6 lead.

However, Warrington only had a short window of relief when Milne made a 40/20 attempt from Lolohea and scored his second of the day for Gagai.

After Sneyd had a goal from the kick-off, King made a follow-up kick from the half-back to give the home side a chance to make a comeback.

With five minutes to go, Jake Thewlis’ brilliant finish, which was followed by brother Josh’s pass, appeared to set up a grandstand finish, but Sneyd was unable to kick the extras, which would have reduced the arrears to six points.

Fans of Huddersfield were relieved when the Giants saw out the final minutes of a frantic defeat at Wigan last week after watching their team lose in a last-gasp defeat last week.

Next Saturday when they take on Catalans Dragons, they will look to build on this success.

Powell, Thomas, Philbin, Wood, and more.

Huddersfield Giants: Flanagan Jr., Gagai, Milne, Halsall, Bibby, Lolohea, Frawley, Cudjoe, Greenwood, Hewitt, Powell, Woolford, King, and others.

Golding, English, Burgess, Rushton, and others exchange.

England XV (19) 24

Tries: Willis, Coles, Carpenter, Dombrandt Cons: Ford 2

France XV (12) 26

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was sent off as Steve Borthwick’s England XV conceded two late tries in a disappointing 26-24 defeat by a France XV at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.

A try from Harlequins captain Alex Dombrandt moments after France’s Cameron Woki was sent off gave England a 24-12 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

However, Paul Mallez scored from close range to set up a frantic final five minutes and the visitors’ pressure paid off when Romain Taofifenua burrowed over to tie the scores with the clock in the red.

Fly-half Antoine Hastoy fired over the conversion to snatch victory for Fabien Galthie’s side with the last kick of an energy-sapping match played in sweltering conditions in London.

Feyi-Waboso, who missed the Six Nations and a possible place in the British and Irish Lions squad after dislocating his shoulder in December, was shown a yellow card in the 34th minute for tackling Hastoy around the neck.

After a straightforward review, the card was upgraded to a 20-minute red because of the high degree of danger and lack of mitigation.

England had fought back after conceding two early tries to lead at half-time thanks to tries from Tom Willis, Alex Coles and Joe Carpenter, but will rue the way they let France back into the game in the closing stages.

Borthwick, who was without the 13 players selected in the Lions squad – including captain Maro Itoje – names his squad to tour Argentina and the United States on Monday.

Feyi-Waboso, whose energy and enthusiasm in training had been praised by Borthwick in the build-up to the match, almost made a dream return to action with a try in the opening minutes.

Denied by three French tacklers, that was as good as it got for the 22-year-old Exeter Chief though.

Hooker Gaetau Barlot stretched over from a driving maul to give France the lead and then lock Hugo Auradou touched down after full-back Theo Attissogbe burst through the middle of England’s defence.

England put France under sustained pressure on their line and got their reward with the hard-working Tom Willis crashing over the line.

Seb Atkinson, one of three uncapped players in the XV, surged towards the tryline and from a resulting ruck Northampton’s Alex Coles powered over to bring the scores level.

George Ford, co-captain with Jamie George, missed a relatively simple penalty kick to extend England’s lead and Carpenter had a second try ruled out because of an unfortunate Henry Slade knock-on.

Meanwhile, France scrum-half Nolann le Garrec had a breakaway try disallowed because of Woki’s illegal clear out on George, which was upgraded from yellow to red in colour following a review.

England XV: Carpenter; Roebuck, Slade, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso; Ford (co-capt), Spencer; Baxter, George (co-capt), Heyes, Coles, Isiekwe, Hill, Pepper, Willis

Replacements: Dan, Rodd, Davison, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt, Quirke, Beard

Red card: Feyi-Waboso (34)

France XV: Attissogbe; Moustin, Gailleton, Fickou, Duguivalu; Hastoy, Le Garrec; Erdocio, Barlot, Slimani, Auradou, Duguid, Fishcher, Tixeront, Guillard.

Replacements: G Marchand, Mallez, Bamba, Taofifenua, Van Tonder, Woki, Jauneau, Berdeu

Red card: Cameron Woki (54)

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)

Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ire) and Sam Grove White (Sco)