Jack Draper held his nerve brilliantly to see off a sterling opponent in Alexei Popyrin, finding thrilling winners on three of the last four points to seal victory in a deciding-set tie-break.
The quality of Draper’s game is not in question, but the intangibles of grass-court tennis require a player to summon up their best stuff at the most important moments.
This was an art that Andy Murray mastered on his way to five Queen’s titles and two Wimbledons. Draper showed today that he could be traversing the same road as he moved into the Queen’s quarter-finals.
Draper and Popyrin were well matched: two tall figures with large wingspans and great destructive power on both the serve and the forehand. The main difference between them was that Draper is a southpaw.
After splitting the first two sets, it all came down to the wire at 5-5 in the pivotal tie-break. At this point, Draper found some inspiration with a magnificent backhand winner up the line. His backhand was better than Popyrin’s overall and that probably gave him the edge.
Draper had already seen two match points go by in the tenth game of that set, but they were on the Popyrin serve. Now he had a third, this time on his own serve, and he converted with a curling “can-opener” of a delivery that thudded into the courtside hoardings. It was his second successive ace and it clinched a hard-earned win.
05:17 PM BST
Thanks for joining us
That brings our coverage of Jack Draper’s victory over Alexei Popyrin to an end. The British No 1 went a set down but fought back and took the final set tie-break to progress into the last eight at Queen’s.
Thanks for joining us!
05:15 PM BST
Draper: ‘I’m feeling better every time’
Speaking on court, Jack Draper has said: “There’s days where I need that extra support, today was one of them. Tough match and credit to Alexei [Popyrin] it was a bit up and down but you guys helped me through that so thank you.
“I think he’s gone to the beer tent but my grandad is here! My family and friends are here and I love being at home and playing in front of them so it’s an emotional moment for me honestly.”
Discussing whether he is feeling more comfortable on grass, he said: “A little bit, not exactly in the first couple of sets it wasn’t pretty at all. I still need some time to adjust to grass but I’m feeling better every time I get through these matches. One more under the belt and I’ll be back on Friday.”
05:14 PM BST
Up next for Draper
Draper will now face either Brandon Nakashima or fellow Briton Dan Evans in the last eight. That match is getting underway shortly.
05:09 PM BST
Match point
Draper Digs Deep 😤@jackdraper0 takes out Popyrin 3-6 6-2 7-6 in a match that went down to the WIRE 👏
#HSBCChampionshipspic.twitter.com/RvkiqRHQKE
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 18, 2025
05:06 PM BST
Draper wins the deciding tie-break!
Draper wins the opening point on serve. 1-0 Draper.
Popyrin levels with a backhand volley winner. 1-1.
The Australian takes the lead after some big hitting to the Draper backhand wing. 2-1 Popyrin.
Popyrin gets the first mini-break. 3-1 Popyrin.
Draper hangs in a long rally to win the next point. 3-2 Popyrin.
Popyrin plays a drop shot that Draper makes but nets an attempted forehand. 4-2 Popyrin.
Draper gets the mini-break back as Popyrin fires a forehand long. 4-3 Popyrin.
The Briton levels up with a brilliant overhead. 4-4.
An ace sees the Briton move ahead. 5-4 Draper.
Popyrin levels up as Draper goes long with a return. 5-5.
Draper wins the next point to bring up match point. 6-5 Draper.
The Briton seals it with an ace.
Big, big win for the No 2 seed!
04:56 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 6-6 Popyrin*
Popyrin goes long with a forehand. The Australian regains control of the game winning the next two point to move 30-15 ahead and then 40-15 with a forehand winner. The Australian holds. A tie-break will decide this match which feels fitting.
04:51 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 6-5 Popyrin
Draper nets a short forehand to fall 0-15 behind. A couple of aces give the Briton a 30-15 lead and he sees out the game to hand the pressure back to Popyrin.
04:48 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 5-5 Popyrin*
Popyrin takes the lead before dumping a forehand drop shot attempt into the net.
Draper then rushes the net and some good hustling sees the Briton come out on top as the score moves to 15-30.
A huge return winner off Popyrin second serve brings up two match points.
Popyrin saves the first as Draper goes long with a backhand. And the second with a huge forehand cross-court. Some composed play sees the Popyrin close out the game with an ace.
Draper made it very clear that he thought he got a bad bounce on the first of those match points in the 10th game, walking up to the offending spot on the court and flamboyantly pressing it down with his shoe. On the second, his return of Popyrin’s second serve was perhaps a little conservative, inviting the big forehand that followed.
04:42 PM BST
Match has rattled along
This match has rattled along. An hour and 50 minutes and Popyrin will have to serve to stay in the deciding set. He’s been fairly composed so far but this is a pressure moment.
04:41 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 5-4 Popyrin
Popyrin blocks a return wide to fall 15-0 behind. The Australian then finds a ridiculous angle with a cross-court forehand before shanking one as Draper move to 30-15.
A massive forehand winner from Draper gets the score to 40-15. Popyrin stays in touch as Draper nets from the baseline. But Briton does eventually hold to 30.
04:37 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 4-4 Popyrin*
Popyrin wins the opening point as a Draper backhand sails wide. The Australian then goes long on the same wing as the scoreboard moves to 15-15.
A nice forehand volley sees Popyrin edge 30-15 ahead before firing down a huge serve out wide to move to 40-15.
The Australian holds!
04:33 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 4-3 Popyrin
A bit of cat and mouse tennis is finished with a delicate backhand pass from Draper who races to a 40-0 lead after that.
The Briton holds to love and edges closer to the finish line.
04:31 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 3-3 Popyrin*
Popyrin starts with a forehand winner before Draper answers with his own to level things up at 15-15.
More big hitting from the Australian gets the score to 30-15 and then 40-15 after a short return from Draper is punished by Popyrin.
Draper gets to 40-30 but Popyrin is able to hold.
04:25 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 3-2 Popyrin
Draper pushes a forehand drop shot into the tramlines to fall 0-15 behind. A double fault then sees the scoreboard to move to 0-30 before an ace gets the Briton on the board.
Popyrin then goes wide on the backhand wing. Draper wins the next two points to maintain his lead. Good hold from 0-30!
04:22 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 2-2 Popyrin*
Popyrin fires down an ace to start things off then follows up with two quick winners to get to 40-0. Draper then gets on the board with a backhand pass on the run.
But Popyrin closes out the game to 15.
04:18 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 2-1 Popyrin
Draper holds to 15 to move 2-1 ahead in the deciding set. The Briton closed out the game with two big aces.
Feels like Popyrin has made a habit of catching Draper out with loopy balls that land on the baseline. In that second game, it worked to his advantage as Draper charged forward, realised the ball was going behind him, then turned about as nimbly as an articulated lorry. He is a big lad, which helps with power generation, but not always the most nimble.
04:15 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 6-2, 1-1 Popyrin*
Popyrin races to 30-0 before Draper gets on the board following a lovely backhand volley.
The second seed then goes too big with a forehand that sails long as Popyrin gets to 40-15. More good net play from Draper sees the Briton get to 40-30 but Popyrin is able to hold after some good defensive play.
04:10 PM BST
Third set: Draper* 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 Popyrin
Draper sees nets an attempted drop shot before levelling up at 15-15.
The Briton, taken by surprise, shanks a forehand before firing down an ace to level things up 30-30 and then double-faults to give Popyrin break point.
The Briton saves it with a backhand that finds the line and then wins the next two points to close out the game. Good hold after a shaky start.
04:06 PM BST
Draper serving first could be of benefit
Popyrin rather gave that set away at the end but nobody here will be relaxing. It could help potentially help Draper that his late break will allow him to serve first in this deciding set.
04:04 PM BST
Anna Wintour taking in the tennis at Queen’s
Anna Summer ☀️
Anna Wintour enjoying some tennis at the #HSBCChampionships 👋 pic.twitter.com/io1fuR5VwN
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 18, 2025
04:02 PM BST
Draper wins the second set 6-2
Popyrin double-faults to start things off before seeing a forehand fly long to fall 0-30 behind.
The Australian stops the rot and finds the line with a forehand winner cross before another error gives Draper two set points.
The Briton breaks and takes the second set!
03:57 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 5-2 Popyrin
Draper, looking to consolidate the break, races to 30-0 before Popyrin levels up with a forehand volley to go 30-30.
A big serve is then returned into the net by Popyrin but Draper is unable to take advantage as loses the next point.
On his next game point, Draper throws down an ace and the break is backed up!
03:52 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 4-2 Popyrin*
Popyrin sprays a forehand wide to fall 0-15 behind. Draper then goes long on the same wing to draw things level at 15-15 and forehand pass on the run sees Draper get to 15-30.
A good serve out wide from the Australian is returned long from Draper. The Briton gets unbelievable angle on a return that leaves Popyrin scrambling. Break point, Draper.
And the Briton breaks as Popyrin double-faults!
03:46 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 3-2 Popyrin
Draper falls 0-15 behind and lets off a huge scream before levelling up at 15-15.
Popyrin goes long with a forehand to give Draper a 30-15 lead. The Briton gets to 40-15 Popyrin nets a groundstroke. The Australian then smacks a backhand return for a clean winner before Draper seals the game with a sizzling forehand pass.
A straightforward hold there for Draper, but the huge shout of frustration after double-faulting on the opening point was revealing of the pressure he is feeling. I’m guessing it’s partly to do with the challenge of living up to his billing as second seed, but also related to Popyrin’s destructive game-style. You always feel like you might lose three or four points without much opportunity to do anything about it. And on grass courts, that can be the match.
03:43 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 2-2 Popyrin*
Draper wins the opening point before some good net play from Popyrin sees the Australian draw level at 15-15.
More big hitting from both comes to an end as Draper nets a forehand to fall 30-15 behind.
A good kick serve from Popyrin sees Draper return long and the Australian holds!
03:39 PM BST
Draper* 3-6, 2-1 Popyrin
Some more good serving from Draper gets the Briton to 30-0 before Popyrin nets a backhand to fall 40-0 behind. Popyrin does get on the board but Draper holds as he finishes the game with a clean forehand down the line.
03:36 PM BST
Draper 3-6, 1-1 Popyrin*
Popyrin answering Draper’s quick hold with one of his own as the Australian races to a 40-0 lead.
Draper fires a return long and Popyrin holds to love.
03:34 PM BST
Small margins in grass-court tennis
If you wanted a demonstration of the small margins that decide grass-court tennis matches, this set was perfect. Draper had two break points at 15-40 in the seventh game, but couldn’t take them, and then lost his concentration, coughing up a couple of cheap errors to go 0-30 down. A couple of strong groundstrokes from Popyrin and the set had got away.
03:33 PM BST
Second set: Draper* 3-6, 1-0 Popyrin
Draper comes out the blocks strongly to get things started in this second set and holds to love.
03:32 PM BST
Wind episode
When the wind becomes the main character! 😅#HSBCChampionshipspic.twitter.com/OecUsmzzHw
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 18, 2025
03:31 PM BST
Popyrin wins the first set 6-3!
Popyrin, serving for the match, starts the game with a perfectly executed serve-volley combination.
The Australian then wins the next two points in quick succession to go 40-0 before double-faulting.
Still, two set points. Another double fault sees the scoreboard move to 40-30. Popyrin holds and wraps up the first set, 6-3.
We had a little dust-devil or something there. Hats blowing all around the court, the “Butternut Box” falling on its side and pieces of felt from the courtside barriers. Strange because it’s not actually that windy!
03:25 PM BST
Draper* 3-5 Popyrin
Draper falls 0-30 behind after a couple of loose errors. The Briton then sees the scoreboard move to 0-40 as a forehand sails long.
And Popyrin breaks to love as he rips a forehand return down the line.
03:21 PM BST
Draper 3-4 Popyrin*
With 15-0 lead, Popyrin attempts to serve-volley but gets caught out by Draper who goes 15-30 ahead off the back of a double fault from the Australian.
The Briton then gets to 15-40 as Popyrin nets a backhand from the baseline. Popyrin saves the first break point with an ace down the T. A big serve out wide sets up the point nicely for the Australian who had Draper on the back foot.
An ace seals the game for Popyrin.
03:16 PM BST
Draper* 3-3 Popyrin
Some more good serving from Draper sees the Briton come through his service game with relative ease.
A swooping forehand winner at 30-30 brings up game point which sees Draper put the game to bed with a forehand winner down the line.
03:13 PM BST
Two big servers on deck
Two big servers on deck and we can probably guess that breaks are going to be hard to come by. Having said that, Draper has clearly been the stronger player to date, especially with his defensive skills.
03:13 PM BST
Draper 2-3 Popyrin*
A huge forehand winner cross sees Popyrin get to 30-0 before Draper gets on the board at 30-15.
An ace gets Popyrin to 40-15 before a Draper return deep to the Australian’s forehand sees the game to 40-30. Popyrin eventually holds.
03:08 PM BST
Draper* 2-2 Popyrin
After being lobbed by Popyrin, Draper attempts a tweener that lands in the net before levelling up at 15-15 off the back of a Popyrin error.
Some good serving wins the Draper the next two points before he eventually holds to 15.
03:04 PM BST
Draper 1-2 Popyrin*
Popyrin goes about his business in much more straightforward fashion, holding to love to retake the lead.
03:02 PM BST
Draper* 1-1 Popyrin
Draper fires down an ace to get things started. The second seed follows up with another huge first delivery and then a second ace at 30-0 before firing a forehand long to go 40-15.
The Briton holds comfortably.
02:59 PM BST
First set: Jack Draper 0-1 Alexei Popyrin* (*denotes server)
Some big hitting early doors from both sees Draper rip a forehand pass down the line to get things started.
Popyrin follows up with a big forehand winner of his own to draw level at 15-15, then goes wide with an overhead to fall 15-30 behind.
The Australian shanks a backhand at 30-30 as Draper gets his first break-point look which Popyrin saves with a cute drop shot.
Popyrin eventually holds after saving two break points.
02:46 PM BST
Coin toss
Draper won the toss and has elected to receive.
02:44 PM BST
Players are on court
Alexei Popyrin walks out first followed by second seed Jack Draper who gets a huge ovation.
02:35 PM BST
Bautista Agut gets it done!
Bautista Agut comes through!
The 37-year-old is through to the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club after seeing off Mensik 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Up next for the Spaniard, fourth seed Holger Rune of Denmark or American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald.
The Generation Game 🕰️
37-year-old @BautistaAgut takes out 19-year-old Mensik 3-6 6-3 7-5 to become the 4th oldest Quarter-Finalist at the #HSBCChampionshipspic.twitter.com/4poFdVJTCa
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 18, 2025
02:26 PM BST
Bautista Agut breaks again!
The Spaniard will come out and try and serve for the match again after breaking Mensik to 15.
02:23 PM BST
Mensik breaks!
Mensik breaks back!
The No 8 seed is back in the match as he levels up at 5-5 in the third.
02:19 PM BST
Bautista Agut a game away from the quarter-finals
Veteran Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut is serving for the match against talented Czech teen Jakub Mensik.
Bautista Agut lost the first 6-3 before taking the second by the same scoreline. It is now 5-4 in the third.
Jack Draper versus Alexei Popyrin follows this match on Andy Murray Arena.
02:09 PM BST
Second head-to-head meeting
Good afternoon and welcome to coverage of Jack Draper versus Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the round of 16 of the HSBC Championships.
Draper, the second seed at Queen’s, cruised through his first-round match against America’s Jenson Brooksby, dropping just four games in a 6-3, 6-1 victory. That was Draper’s first match on grass and followed his fourth-round run at the French Open earlier in the month.
After his victory against Brooksby, British No 1 spoke about how it feels to be at the top of the tree in the country. “Since I was a young guy, I have always wanted to be at the top of the game, and I knew eventually that [expectation] would come with it,” said the 23-year-old. “I feel confident, happy. I feel this is exactly where I want to be, regardless of any external noise.”
Popyrin, currently at a career-high No 21 in the world, started his grass-court campaign at the Libema Open where he lost to eventual runner-up, Zizou Bergs in his opening match. Here, he saw off his compatriot Aleksandar Vukic in three sets to set up this round-of-16 encounter.
The world No 6 leads the head-to-head against the 25-year-old Australian 1-0 after their meeting in Doha earlier this year. Draper won that match in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6.
Popyrin will also be in doubles action later today alongside Alex de Minaur. The Australian duo will take on the American-Czech pair Taylor Fritz and Jiri Lehecka in the first round.
Yesterday, the teams for the new mixed doubles competition at this year’s US Open were revealed. Draper will team up with last year’s Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng of China.
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