Friday, June 20

Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Queen’s Club Championships semi-final between Jiri Lehecka and Jack Draper, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.

Fresh off his 100th ATP Tour victory, Jiri Lehecka takes on British No. 1 Jack Draper in Saturday's Queen's Club Championships semi-final, aiming for his first grass-court title match.

The Czech player has not dropped a set in the lead-up to this last-four contest against Draper, who needed another decider to reach the semi-finals in London for the first time.

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Match preview

Lehecka may have dropped his serve early in the match against Jacob Fearnley but quickly recovered to secure a 7-5, 6-2 victory over the improving Brit in West Kensington.

Benefitting from the home player’s double faults — which undermined any chances Fearnley had with the home support — the former world No. 22’s improved serving meant the Brit could do little to as Lehecka raised his game.

That opening set slip was the only time Lehecka conceded a break point in the match, and his heightened level afterwards was evident in securing his century of wins on tour.

After missing the French Open, entire grass season and Olympics last year, the 23-year-old is making up for lost time in 2025, improving his career record to 10-6 on grass, with five victories out of six matches this year.

Despite having barely broken a sweat in London, facing the home favourite, whom he has not beaten in back-to-back encounters, will present the biggest challenge for the Czech star, who aims to add to his two tour-level titles this week.

While Lehecka was expected to handle Fearnley in straight sets, a decider was anticipated in Draper’s quarter-final contest with Brandon Nakashima, and this proved to be the case on Friday.

The British No. 1 came through another three-setter, achieving a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 triumph after two hours and 22 minutes — nine minutes longer than his round-two win over Alexei Popyrin.

Friday’s victory means that the second seed has not only reached his first semi-final at this event but also confirmed his fourth seed entry into Wimbledon, ensuring he avoids Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz until the last four of the Championships.

Although the 23-year-old lefty cannot look too far ahead, he ought to reflect on his remarkable ascent over the last 52 weeks on the men's tour.

This consistency has characterised Draper's three tour titles, and he could end this week with victory at the ATP 500 event on home soil.

First, however, the home favourite, who has improved to 28-7 for the season, must contend with an in-form opponent who has not dropped a set all week and is striving to avoid a third straight loss to the British star.

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Tournament so far

Jiri Lehecka: 

First round: vs. Alex De Minaur 6-4 6-2 

Second round: vs. Gabriel Diallo 6-4 6-2

Quarter-final: vs. Jacob Fearnley 7-5 6-2

Jack Draper: 

First round: vs. Jenson Brooksby 6-3 6-1 

Second round: vs. Alexei Popyrin 3-6 6-2 7-6[5]

Quarter-final: vs. Brandon Nakashima 6-4 5-7 6-4

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Head To Head

Doha (2025) - Semi-finals: Draper 3-6 7-6(2) 6-3 

Paris Masters (2024) - Round of 64: Draper 7-5 6-2 

Adelaide (2024) - Final: Lehecka 4-6 6-4 6-3

While Lehecka won his first ATP Tour matchup in Adelaide last year, denying Draper in the title match, the Brit has since won the following two encounters, edging ahead in their head-to-head.

The world No. 30 enters Saturday's contest with a 3-4 record against top-10 players over the past year, having recently suffered a chastening defeat to Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros, where he managed only three games in three sets.

Draper, on the contrary, has dominated lower-ranked opponents since the start of the Madrid Masters, boasting a 14-2 record, with losses only to Casper Ruud in Madrid and Alexander Bublik at the French Open; the Brit’s 37-8 record against players ranked below him in the past year highlights his strong form against players he is expected to beat.

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We say: Lehecka to win in three sets

Saturday's match could go either way, with the outcome likely hinging on Lehecka's serving performance.

The Czech player has appeared more solid in London, while Draper's level has fluctuated at times in West Kensington; thus, the world No. 30, who has already upset 2023 runner-up De Minaur this week, should progress to Sunday's title match at the expense of the home hope.  

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