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Carlos Alcaraz reached the semi-finals at Queen’s Club, extending his winning streak to 16 matches. He defeated Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4.
Carlos Alcaraz at the Queen’s Club (AFP)
Carlos Alcaraz was relieved to overcome the challenge of Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets, reaching the semi-finals at Queen’s Club and extending his career-best winning streak to 16 matches on Friday.
In his first tournament since his remarkable French Open victory against Jannik Sinner, the world number two had to endure a gruelling three-set battle against Jaume Munar in the second round on Thursday.
However, Alcaraz capitalised on his opportunities against world number 80 Rinderknech, seizing his only two break point chances for a 7-5, 6-4 win in just 90 minutes.
“I thought I was going to feel much worse, but we are tennis players, we have to do whatever we have to do to feel good,” Alcaraz said after his three-and-a-half-hour match against Munar. “I’m glad that today was one hour and 20 minutes, a bit more like grass.”
Alcaraz, who won the Wimbledon warm-up event in 2023, will face his Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in Saturday’s semi-finals after Bautista Agut defeated fourth seed Holger Rune 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2.
“I’m feeling great, and I’m just happy to play at such a good level today. It was a big challenge, but I’m happy with the way I played and felt today,” Alcaraz added.
Jack Draper, who ended Alcaraz’s defence at Queen’s last year, reached the semi-finals for the first time with a tense 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory over American Brandon Nakashima.
The 23-year-old had twice fallen at the quarter-final stage at Queen’s but is now just two wins away from joining Andy Murray as only the second British champion in the Open era. Draper will rise to a career-high ranking of four next week, surpassing Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz.
This means that at Wimbledon, starting June 30, Draper will avoid defending champion Alcaraz and world number one Sinner until the semi-finals.
“Last year I went there ranked 40th and now I’m fourth. To get to that position is an incredible feeling,” Draper said. “It is testament to the work me and my team have done, and I’m proud of that.”
Draper will face Jiri Lehecka in the last four on Saturday, after the Czech world number 30 defeated British number two Jacob Fearnley 7-5, 6-2.
(with agency inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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