Jack Draper was given a stern test of his grasscourt title credentials with a tough three-set victory against Alexei Popyrin on a baking hot day at Queen’s Club.
The second seed at the ATP 500 event in west London lost the opening set before digging deep to seal a 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) success on the Andy Murray Arena.
The 23-year-old dropped the opening set to tricky Australian world No 21 Popyrin, but gathered himself to level the match.
He then came through a deciding-set tie-break to win a gruelling contest in two hours and 13 minutes.
If Draper breaks new ground and reaches a maiden semi-final in west London, he will be seeded fourth at Wimbledon.
“It was a tough match, credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis,” said Draper, who could next face an all-British showdown against Dan Evans, ranked world No 199, at the HSBC Championships.
“My family is here and my friends are here and I love being at home, playing in front of family and friends. It is an emotional moment for me.
“In the first couple of sets it wasn’t pretty at all, I need time to adjust to the grass but it’s one more under the belt.”
Draper forced two break points in the seventh game of the first set, but two 130mph aces got Popyrin out of trouble.
The Briton then lost concentration momentarily and before he knew it, Popyrin had three break points.
The set quickly disappeared, although play was briefly held up when a bizarre gust of wind engulfed the Andy Murray Arena, sending a spectator’s hat flying into Popyrin and large bits of felt from the barriers swirling on to the court.
However, it was Draper who got a second wind with a double break to draw level.
His serving got him in trouble and back out of it after a double-fault gave Popyrin a break point at the start of the decider, with a big serve and then an ace clinching a vital hold.
Popyrin clung on valiantly, saving two match points as he served at 4-5, and in the tie-break he led 4-2.
But Draper stepped on the gas to win five of the last six points, finishing the job with an ace.
Carlos Alcaraz is back in action on Thursday at Queen’s Club
Earlier, Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Czech Jakub Mensik 3-6 6-3 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since his previous appearance here in 2016.
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz, the 2023 champion, is back in action against fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar on Thursday.
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