Jack Draper: British No 1 to open against Jenson Brooksby with top seed Carlos Alcaraz set for Queen’s Club action | Tennis News

Jack Draper will aim to become the first British Queen’s Club champion from Andy Murray in 2016, but Carlos Alcaraz should be the title after celebrating his fifth Grand Chelem title to the French Open.

Draper is a higher ranking in fourth career, but faces a battle to maintain this post in front of Wimbledon.

He chose not to defend the title he won in Stuttgart last year, which means that he will resume Novak Djokovic on Monday, while Taylor Fritz will also go beyond a return to form this week.

Draper, who is among the main contenders for the crown of the tournament which begins on Monday, and his compatriot Brit Jacob Fearnley is in the main draw on the right, the latter obtaining his place thanks to withdrawals – which also include another former champion of Matteo Berrettini – having already received a Wild Card.

HSBC championships – First round

• Jack Draper (2) against Jenson Brooksby (USA)
• Jacob Fearnley vs qualify
• Cam Norrie vs Jakub Mensik (Cze) (8)
• Billy Harris vs Gabriel Diallo (CAN)
• Dan Evans vs Frances Tiafoe (USA) (7)

Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans also received jokers, but defending champion Tommy Paul withdrew.

Paul has an abdominal problem, while the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, beaten by the American in the final last year, continues to recover from a leg injury which forced him to retire in his French semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz and will also miss the event.

The defending champion of Wimbledon Alcaraz is back in action on the grass after having celebrated his success in Paris last weekend.

He will be joined on the ground by the finalist of the former finalist of Queen Norrie, who dates back to the ranking after a strong campaign on the clay, the veteran Evans and his British compatriot Billy Harris.

Draper kicks off his herbs season with a first round meeting with Jenson Brooksby.

The British n ° 1 could face Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-final and the title champion of the Eastbourne Open Taylor Fritz or the fifth head of Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals.

Alcaraz will face the Countryman Alejandro Davidovic Fokina in his first match on the grass. The star of the American Ben Shelton is imminent in the same quarter of the draw as the world n ° 2.

Suffering sinner after missing championship points

Jannik Sinner admits that it will be difficult to stop thinking about the chances he missed during his epic defeat of France opened against Carlos Alcaraz.

The Italian held three consecutive match points in the fourth set of the confrontation of the last weekend in Roland Garros, having also led by two sets to love, only so that Alcaraz could retaliate and win a fifth Grand Chelem title in what was greeted as one of the best major finals of all time.

The two men are back in action next week, with an Alcaraz seeded in Queen’s, while Sinner will participate in the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.

The n ° 1 of the world returned home to Italy after the defeat, but hopes to find comfort on the match field.

He told Tennis TV: “It was certainly a difficult loss. I always think of these couples, and it will not stop here, I know.

“But, in the other sense, I am happy to be here, I am happy to start a new tournament. I think it helps me to embark on this pace of match, and let’s see how I will react.

“You can see the negative side, but there is also a positive side. I have never played tennis on clay like that.

“I went to Rome, I did the final there. I played in Paris, I did the final of a great home, so incredible, and the level we played, me and Carlos, was extremely high, so I was happy to be part of this.”

Look at ATP and WTA visits, as well as the United States in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with now and the Sky Sports application, giving Sky Sports customers to more than 50% live sport this year without additional costs. Learn more here.