Jack Draper will be aiming to become the first British champion at Queen’s Club since Andy Murray in 2016, but Carlos Alcaraz is set to be the headline act after celebrating his fifth Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Draper is at a career-high ranking of fourth but faces a battle to hold that position ahead of Wimbledon.
He chose not to defend the title he won in Stuttgart last year, meaning he will drop back below Novak Djokovic on Monday, while Taylor Fritz will also overtake him after a return to form this week.
Draper, who is is among the leading contenders for the crown at the tournament which gets under way on Monday, and fellow Brit Jacob Fearnley are in the main draw by right, with the latter securing his spot thanks to the withdrawals – which also include another former champion in Matteo Berrettini – having previously been given a wild card.
HSBC Championships – First round
- Jack Draper (2) vs Jenson Brooksby (USA)
- Jacob Fearnley vs Qualifier
- 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 have also been given wild cards, but reigning champion Tommy Paul has pulled out.
Paul has an abdominal problem, while Italian Lorenzo Musetti, beaten by the American in the final last year, continues to recover from a leg injury that forced him to retire during his French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz and will also miss the event.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is back in action on grass after celebrating his success in Paris last weekend.
He will be joined in the field by former finalist Queen’s finalist Norrie, who is heading back up the rankings after a strong clay-court campaign, veteran Evans and fellow British player Billy Harris.
Draper kicks off his grass season with a first round meeting with Jenson Brooksby.
The British No 1 could face Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-final and either reigning Eastbourne Open champion Taylor Fritz or fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the semis.
Alcaraz will face countryman Alejandro Davidovic Fokina in his first match on the grass. Looming in the same quarter of the draw as the world No 2, is American star Ben Shelton.
Andy Murray like you’ve never seen him before – giving out life advice! [Credit: @LTA]
Sinner suffering after missing championship points
Jannik Sinner suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final
Jannik Sinner admits it will be hard to stop thinking about the chances he missed in his epic French Open loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
The Italian held three consecutive match points in the fourth set of last weekend’s clash at Roland Garros, having also led by two sets to love, only for Alcaraz to fight back and claim a fifth grand slam title in what has been hailed as one of the best major finals of all time.
Both men are back in action next week, with Alcaraz top seed at Queen’s, while Sinner will compete in the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.
The world No 1 headed home to Italy following the defeat but is hoping to find some solace back on the match court.
He told Tennis TV: “It was for sure a tough loss. I still think about these couple of points, and it won’t stop here, I know that.
“But, in the other way, I’m happy to be here, I’m happy to start a new tournament. I think this helps me to get again into this match rhythm, and let’s see how I’m going to react.
“You can see the negative side but there is also a positive side. I’ve never played tennis on clay like this.
“I went to Rome, I made the final there. I played in Paris, I made the final of a Grand Slam, so amazing, and the level we have played, me and Carlos, was extremely high so I was happy to be a part of this.”
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