Carlos Alcaraz will meet home favourite Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club on Thursday.
Carlos Alcaraz is eager to face Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club on Thursday. The pair will face off for the third time, and both are in good form.
Alcaraz is the defending champion of the cinch Championships and recently earned his third Grand Slam championship at the French Open. Meanwhile, Draper won his first tour championship in Stuttgart on Sunday, becoming the new British No. 1.
While Alcaraz is the favourite with a 2-0 record against Draper, he will be at a disadvantage on Thursday because the Brit will have the support of his home fa
Alcaraz and Draper have a lengthy history, with their first meeting on the court taking place at an exhibition match at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2019, when they were both teens competing on the junior tour. “You could see what an incredible player he was,” Draper remarked of the event.
They will now compete in one of the week’s most anticipated matchups at Queen’s, facing off in the second round. The Spaniard has not lost a grass court match since 2022, sweeping Queen’s and Wimbledon last year, but he is fully aware of the threat Draper offers after winning a circuit championship and reaching a career high of No. 31.
“Well, I think a lefty player is going to be difficult here on grass,” the world’s number two remarked on Tuesday. “I do not know. I know he plays terrific tennis. He’s coming here to win a competition. He won last week. So I know he plays great on grass. I believe his game works well on grass as well, with a strong serve.”
The European Championships are Alcaraz’s first appearance on grass this season, whereas Draper has previously completed a week of matches at the Boss Open in Stuttgart. The Spaniard believes that their encounter is an excellent opportunity for him to test himself on the surface at this time.
He went on to say, “I believe he moves well and hits solid shots, so this will be a good challenge for me as my second match on grass this year. It’ll be a great and exciting challenge for me.”
Draper sees the match as an opportunity to compete against one of the world’s greatest. “I mean, it’s probably one of the most important tests in tennis right now.” He has an extensive pedigree. He certainly won here last year and at Wimbledon. He’s setting records all over the place. “He’s an extremely good, young player,” he stated of their upcoming match.
“I believe it will be a very exciting matchup. I’ve played him a few times already. I understand what to expect. He’s tremendously explosive and a great player all around. So that will be a big task. I can’t wait to get on the court with Carlos.”
Alcaraz won their first encounter in Basel in 2022, and the Brit retired hurt in their 2023 clash at Indian Wells. However, both guys have gone a long way since then, and Draper is looking forward to facing Alcaraz on his own territory, where he will have the support of his own fans.
“I’m looking forward to playing with him for the third time.” Hopefully, I’ll have the crowd behind me. “It will be good,” he said. “I believe I played him for the first time in Basel. I had opportunities in that match. I believe he had just won the US Open. You know, we played at an excellent level.
“Then, at Indian Wells, he was playing exceptionally well. I was hurt before I ever got on the court, so I didn’t have a good chance of winning. Nonetheless, he was playing exceptionally well that day. I’m not sure if it would have mattered whether I was injured or not. But I believe that since two years ago, my emotional and physical state, as well as my gaming identity, have altered dramatically.
“He has also undergone significant changes. He’s won Wimbledon and Roland Garros. You know, he has accomplished a lot as well. I believe it will be a pretty interesting match with some really strong tennis, and hopefully we can compete hard and put on a good display.”
They have also evolved significantly since their first clash in 2019. Draper was pleased by Alcaraz’s professionalism from the start, and he remains so after witnessing the Spaniard win three Majors and reach the top of the world rankings. “What he’s accomplished thus far in his career is something that most athletes only dream of. So much respect for how good he is, and off the court, he’s extremely courteous, nice, and respectful of his entire squad. “He’s amazing at tennis,” he continued.