Tennis Drama Unfolds LIVE: Jack Draper Reels from Shocking Queen’s Club Collapse in Final Moments…Read More…
In a heart-stopping twist that left fans at Queen’s Club gasping, British tennis sensation Jack Draper endured a nightmare on home soil after a late-match meltdown saw him tumble out of the prestigious cinch Championships in spectacular fashion. Once poised to advance, the 23-year-old crumbled in the dying minutes of the contest, leaving the crowd stunned and the tennis world reeling.
The young Brit, widely tipped as a dark horse for Wimbledon, had shown impressive form coming into the tournament. Fresh off his first ATP title earlier this year and brimming with confidence, Draper was expected to cruise past unseeded but dangerous Argentine veteran Federico Coria. For much of the match, it appeared he would do just that—until Queen’s Club witnessed one of the most dramatic collapses in recent memory.
A Promising Start
Draper entered the match with palpable energy. With the crowd firmly behind him and his powerful left-handed serve firing on all cylinders, he took control early in the first set. His groundstrokes were crisp, his movement fluid, and his court presence commanding. Draper secured an early break and closed out the opening set 6-3, drawing cheers and chants from the stands.
“I was feeling great out there,” Draper said during a post-match interview. “The crowd was amazing. It felt like everything was clicking.”
Indeed, for much of the second set, Draper continued to dominate. He led 4-2 with a break in hand and appeared destined to wrap things up in straight sets. But then, like a sudden storm rolling over West Kensington, the momentum shifted—and fast.
The Collapse Begins
Serving at 4-2, Draper double-faulted twice in a row to hand Coria a break-back opportunity. What followed was a nervous forehand into the net, gifting the Argentine his lifeline. Draper, who had looked calm and composed, suddenly appeared rattled.
Coria, sensing the vulnerability, stepped up his game. With consistent depth and cunning slices that disrupted Draper’s rhythm, he clawed back into the match. The Briton’s unforced errors mounted—he misfired forehands, netted routine backhands, and saw his first-serve percentage plummet. Before long, Coria had leveled the set at 4-4 and broke again to eventually take it 7-5, much to the shock of the British faithful in the stands.
Final Set Chaos
With the match now level, all eyes were on Draper to see how he would respond in the decider. But whatever composure he had left appeared to vanish as the final set commenced.
The third set saw Draper’s unraveling reach critical levels. His serve, once his weapon, became a liability. He managed just 48% of first serves in and committed four more double faults. At 2-3 down, Draper had a chance to break back but squandered three break points with wild shots. Coria held firm, and the frustration began to boil over for Draper, who smashed his racket in despair after a botched volley.
At 3-5, serving to stay in the match, Draper produced one of the most error-ridden games of his career. He double-faulted on match point, sending Coria into joyous celebration and Draper into stunned silence. The final scoreline read 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in favor of Coria.
Crowd Left Stunned
Queen’s Club, known for its genteel crowd, witnessed a rare scene of collective disbelief. Draper, who had promised so much, exited the court to a mix of polite applause and quiet murmurs. For many, the loss felt like an opportunity squandered—one that may linger in Draper’s mind for some time.
“He had it in the bag,” said longtime fan Margaret Ellis, 68. “It was like watching a dream dissolve right in front of us.”
Coria, on the other hand, was humble in victory. “Jack is an incredible young player,” he said post-match. “He has a great future. I just tried to stay focused and fight for every point.”
A Tough Lesson
For Draper, the loss will be more than just a mark in the ‘L’ column. It is a stark reminder of the pressures that come with being a home favorite and the razor-thin margins in elite tennis. Having recently cracked the top 30, Draper had hoped for a deep run at Queen’s as a springboard into Wimbledon. Now, he must regroup quickly—mentally and physically.
“He’ll learn from this,” said British tennis legend Tim Henman in commentary. “He’s still young, still growing. These kinds of matches can be brutal, but they’re part of the journey.”
Coach James Trotman echoed similar sentiments during a post-match media session: “We win together, we lose together. It’s a tough pill to swallow, no doubt. But Jack’s a fighter. He’ll bounce back.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the loss, Draper remains a key player in Britain’s tennis hopes for the grass-court season. With Wimbledon just two weeks away, he’ll need to reset, recalibrate, and rebuild his confidence quickly. Fans and pundits alike still believe in his potential—but the road ahead won’t be easy.
As the sun set on Queen’s Club, the echoes of Draper’s missed opportunities lingered in the air. For now, it’s a painful lesson in the cruel beauty of tennis—where one moment you’re soaring, and the next, you’re spiraling. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that setbacks like this often shape champions.
And for Jack Draper, this might just be the jolt he needs to ignite his rise once more.
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