Tag: Queens

Jack Draper eliminated from Queen’s as Tommy Paul wins quarter-final in three sets | Tennis News

Jack Draper eliminated from Queen’s as Tommy Paul wins quarter-final in three sets | Tennis News
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Britain’s Jack Draper lost in the quarter-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships the day after he stunned Carlos Alcaraz.

But Draper could not maintain that form against Tommy Paul on Friday. After losing the first set, Draper clawed back the second only to fade in the third.

Paul ultimately won 6-3 5-7 6-4.

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Draper is out of Queen’s despite beating Alcaraz on Thursday

British No 1 Draper enjoyed the biggest win of his career when he ended the Queen’s Club reign of Wimbledon champion Alcaraz. But the 22-year-old was outgunned by American fifth seed Paul in two hours and one minute.

For Draper a crucial lapse midway through the deciding set saw him broken to love – capped with a double-fault – to swing the match Paul’s way.

Defeat ended Draper’s seven-match winning streak after he lifted his first ATP title in Stuttgart last week.

“I’m definitely playing some good tennis,” Paul said. “I knew today was going to be a battle.

“He’s been playing such amazing tennis so I’m really happy get through that one.”

He continued: “His serve is not fun to deal with, he plays very aggressive. Really just takes you off your game.

“For me the key was just play my game and I think I did a pretty good job.”

Billy Harris celebrates victory over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (not pictured) on day six of the cinch Championships at The Queen's Club, London. Picture date: Thursday June 20, 2024.
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Billy Harris went down to Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals

Van man Billy Harris hit the skids in his bid to reach the semi-finals at Queen’s.

The 29-year-old wild card from Nottingham was a surprise quarter-finalist here having spent most of his nomadic career travelling to lower-ranked tournaments in a transit van.

But his journey in west London ground to a halt against turbo-charged Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who won 6-3 7-5 in an hour and 39 minutes

However, Harris can now treat himself to a new set of wheels with a hefty pay cheque for four days’ work.

Having been guaranteed £60,000 by being granted a Wimbledon wild card on Wednesday, his run to the last eight took his earnings for the week to £121,000.

Prior to Queen’s, Harris’ total career prize money was £230,000.

Jordan Thompson recorded his second victory over a top-15 opponent this week by beating Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.

“To come through to the semis is really pleasing, especially as I’ve had a rough run lately, so glad to turn it around on the grass,” Thompson said. “It just goes to show if you stick at it long enough you can keep improving no matter how old you are. I feel like I’m getting better.”

In the doubles, Neal Skupski won the battle of Britain against his Olympics partner Joe Salisbury.

Skupski and New Zealand’s Michael Venus beat Salisbury and America’s Rajeev Ram 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6).

In Berlin, Victoria Azarenka was the only player to advance to the semi-finals on Friday, moving on after Elena Rybakina retired due to abdominal pain trailing 3-1 in the first set.

Victoria Azarenka moved into the semi-finals of the Berlin Open after Elena Rybakina retired through illness after just four games

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

  • Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
  • Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
  • Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
  • Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Carlos Alcaraz plans ATP talks over ‘new’ shot clock rule after defeat at Queen’s Club | Tennis News

Carlos Alcaraz plans ATP talks over ‘new’ shot clock rule after defeat at Queen’s Club | Tennis News
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Carlos Alcaraz said he would speak to the ATP about a “new” shot clock rule being trialled after feeling rushed during his defeat by Jack Draper at Queen’s Club.

Alcaraz’s preparations for his Wimbledon title defence suffered a setback with a shock 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 loss to new British No 1 Draper in the last 16 in front of his home crowd.

The 25-second shot clock was previously started only when the chair umpire called the score but the tweak to the rule in the trial means that the countdown to a serve begins almost immediately after a point is concluded.

Jack Draper claimed the biggest win of his career with a straight-sets victory over defending champion Alcaraz at Queen’s Club

The new regulation, aimed at streamlining game flow and ensuring consistent time management, has been on trial since the French Open concluded and it is believed the trial will continue in ATP tournaments until the end of the season.

Alcaraz said that he had no time to go through his regular routine during the match and that he had expressed his concerns to chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani.

“He told me that there is a new rule, this new thing, that the clock never stops. After the point is finished, the clock is putting on,” the world No 2 said.

“I think for the players it’s something bad. I finish the point at the net and I had no time to ask for balls. I’m not saying to go to a towel and take my time. I feel like I can’t ask for the balls.

“It’s crazy. I have time just to ask for two balls and no bounces. I’ve never seen something like that in tennis.

“If you play a long point or finish at the net, you have time just to go for a towel or ask for your routine, ask for, in my case, four balls, I’m concentrating on the next point, just bouncing my bounces and serve as best as I can.

“Today I felt like I was in a rush all the time. I had no time to bounce and do my routine.”

Draper said there is no place he’d rather be right now than at Queen’s Club

The umpires are understood to have the ability to pause the shot clocks in the event of disruptions beyond player or tournament control.

French Open champion Alcaraz was asked if he had spoken to the governing body.

“Not yet, but I will, for sure,” said the Spaniard, who will now head to Wimbledon, which begins on July 1 having only played two grass matches.

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

  • Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
  • Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
  • Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
  • Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Queen’s Club Championships: Jack Draper stuns Carlos Alcaraz to move into quarter-finals | Tennis News

Queen’s Club Championships: Jack Draper stuns Carlos Alcaraz to move into quarter-finals | Tennis News
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Britain’s Jack Draper is through to the quarter-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships, after a stunning defeat of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 6-3.

A tight first set with no break points saw Draper excel in a tie-break to clinch it 7-3 and claim the opening set, before storming through the second to lead 5-2 with two match points on the Alcaraz serve.

The Spaniard recovered to hold from there, but Draper then held his nerve, serving out the match for victory.

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Alcaraz’s Queen’s defence is over after a straight-sets defeat to Britain’s Draper

Spanish superstar Alcaraz, who won the French Open earlier this month, had not been beaten in seven weeks or lost a match on grass in almost two years.

But Draper served notice that he is ready to mix it in the upper echelons of the game by becoming the first British man to beat a top-two player on grass since Andy Murray against Novak Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final.

“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, with my family, my friends and the British support. I’ve got my grandad here, who’s just turned 80, he’s doing well.”

Draper became the new British No 1 on Monday, having secured the first ATP Tour title of his career by beating Matteo Berrettini in the Stuttgart Open final on Sunday.

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

With top seed Alcaraz now out, second seed Alex de Minaur and third seed Grigor Dimitrov are already eliminated as well, as are sixth, seventh and eighth seeds Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Ugo Humbert.

Alcaraz had no complaints about the result as his 13-match unbeaten streak on grass came to a shuddering halt.

“I’m not too good right now. I felt like I didn’t play well, I didn’t move well,” he said.

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

Draper was joined in the last eight by another Briton, wild card Billy Harris.

The 29-year-old journeyman from Nottingham, who usually travels to lower-tier tournaments in his camper van, has made a huge breakthrough this week.

He celebrated the news that he had been given a wild card for Wimbledon – and a guaranteed £60,000 pay day – by beating French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 7-5.

Harris said: “It’s massive for my confidence. I came into this match knowing it would be tough with his serve.

“The games went quick and I had to keep my focus. I got the breaks when I needed them and I thought I played well.

“I didn’t know how I’d react to coming out here but as soon as I came on court I got great support from the crowd and they helped me through the match.”

The Billy Harris story

Harris, 29, ranked outside the top 300 just eight months ago, defeats Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 7-5 to reach his first ATP quarter-final at Queen’s Club, an ATP 500 and one of the biggest grass-court events

Spent years on the ITFs, now inside the top 140

There was more British success in the doubles as Joe Salisbury and American partner Rajeev Ram beat scratch pairing Sebastian Korda and Alex De Minaur.

In the quarter-finals, Salisbury will face another Briton, Neal Skupski, who is playing alongside New Zealander Michael Venus.

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

  • Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
  • Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
  • Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
  • Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Andy Murray: Three-time Grand Slam champion retires injured at Queen’s against Jordan Thompson | Tennis News

Andy Murray: Three-time Grand Slam champion retires injured at Queen’s against Jordan Thompson | Tennis News
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Andy Murray was forced to retire from his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at The Queen’s Club on Wednesday.

Murray was losing 4-1 in the first set when he pulled out, having received treatment around the lower back area and hips after three games. It was later confirmed Murray had an issue with his back.

The 37-year-old is hoping to play at Wimbledon, which begins on July 1 for what is expected to be his last appearance at the Grand Slam.

“Never the way you want to go through, especially with a great champion like Andy. This tournament he’s dominated and he loves the grass,” said Thompson.

“I was looking forward to coming out and playing in front of everyone. A disappointing way to finish.”

Former British tennis player Naomi Broady looks into what the future may hold for fellow Brits Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu

Murray walked gingerly out onto the court and it quickly became clear he was not moving properly as he lost the opening two games.

He held serve but lost two more games before deciding to retire, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he waved to the spectators.

Murray, who only returned to action last month after eight weeks out due to damaged ankle ligaments in late March, is set to play in singles and the men’s doubles alongside brother Jamie Murray at Wimbledon.

Andy Murray got a feeling of what it’s like to chat with himself as he was interviewed by comedian and impressionist Josh Berry.

The Olympic Games in Paris follow with Murray named in Great Britain’s squad after the International Tennis Federation awarded him a place having won singles gold in London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Tennis at the Olympics begins on July 27, with Murray nominated to play singles and men’s doubles with Dan Evans.

He has indicated he will retire after this summer.

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Andy Murray and Jamie Murray played doubles together in the Davis Cup final in 2015, when Great Britain won the tournament

A huge blow for Murray ahead of likely retirement

Sky Sports’ Nigel Chiu:

“This is a massive blow for Murray. He’s come back from injury so many times and got back into the world’s top 40 last year after career-threatening hip surgery in 2019, which no singles player had ever been able to come back from.

“Murray will do everything to play at Wimbledon, even if he’s only 60 per cent fit, but it’s not how he will want to play what will likely be his last appearance at the All-England Club.

“There are less than two weeks until Wimbledon and Murray will surely just rest up as much as possible before the start of July. Maybe this time it’s one step too far for Murray’s body. Can he recover one last time?

“It’s the second injury issue for a British player on two days at Queen’s after Dan Evans slipped and injured his knee.

“Evans said it would be hard to swallow if he misses Wimbledon or the Olympics, so there are two British players now in a race to get fit, but you can’t help but not feel too positive about either of their hopes.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours.

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

  • Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
  • Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
  • Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
  • Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Royal Ascot: Illinois leads home Aidan O’Brien one-two in Queen’s Vase as Ryan Moore closes on landmark | Racing News

Royal Ascot: Illinois leads home Aidan O’Brien one-two in Queen’s Vase as Ryan Moore closes on landmark | Racing News
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Aidan O’Brien completed a one-two in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot as Illinois fended off stablemate Highbury in a battling finish.

The 7/4 favourite was also providing Ryan Moore with his 80th Royal Ascot winner and he is now just one behind Frankie Dettori, who holds the record for current jockeys (81) and is second on the all-time list behind Lester Piggott’s 116 landmark.

Illinois, second to subsequent Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly in the Lingfield Derby Trial, disputed the lead with Mr Hampstead for much of the 1m 6f Group Two contest before going for home early in the straight.

Highbury, ridden by Wayne Lordan, mounted a strong late challenge but Illinois held on to score by a length and a quarter despite drifting left in the closing stages.

Birdman completed a clean sweep for Ireland as he claimed third place, three-quarters of a length further back, ahead of Meydaan.

O’Brien, also responsible for fifth-placed The Equator – said: “We felt any three of them could win, but Ryan made the decision on this one. When Diego (Velazquez) got rerouted to the King Edward VII Stakes, this horse got rerouted to here.

“Ryan felt he would stay. He felt when he got beat at Leopardstown it was the ground and he felt he was very green when he went to Lingfield.

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Illinois crosses the line at Ascot under Moore

“Obviously, all those types of horses had a much easier time than they would normally have because they would be steered into the Derby, but when City (Of Troy) was there, it gave all these horses a chance to develop slowly.

“He’s obviously a Leger-type horse and is going to improve from three to four.”