Huge Wimbledon boost for Draper after Queen's win

On one level, it is mission accomplished for Jack Draper at Queen’s Club this week. Of course, there is still a tournament to win, a prestigious tournament at that, especially for a British player. Rather tantalisingly, Draper remains on a final collision course with world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz. What a showdown that would be.

- KIERAN JACKSON AT QUEEN'S CLUB

But around these parts, there is always one eye firmly set on the big grass court dance, five miles south, in 10 days' time.

The surprise first-round exit of current world No 4 Taylor Fritz this week, and the non-activity of No 5 Novak Djokovic, handed No 6 Draper a golden opportunity to seal a top-four seeding for Wimbledon. With that comes an easier quarter-final at SW19 by ranking, avoiding the likes of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner until the semis should he get there.

And with a patchy if not convincing 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 quarter-final victory against Brandon Nakashima yesterday, Draper has secured the points he needs to return to the world No 4 spot on Monday. The boy from Putney will be the fourth seed at the All England Club; quite the rise from No 28 last year.

Not that he's particularly bothered. "Not really," he said on court afterwards, when asked about whether that changes anything for Wimbledon. "I keep getting asked by the journalists about a topfour seeding... I have to get to the semis first!"