LONDON/WASHINGTON, June 17, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
As the second week of the month-long European grass-court season unfolds, World No. 2 and 2023 champion Carlos Alcaraz has returned to the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in West London, in his first tournament since lifting his fifth Grand Slam title at Roland Garros two weeks ago.
Alcaraz, the only former champion in this year’s ATP 500 field, came into his opening-round match against Australian lucky loser Adam Walton with a big crowd on hand that filled the red brick and ivy-ladened Andy Murray Arena cheering for him Tuesday afternoon – plus, a 13-match winning streak to his credit. By the time Alcaraz walked off the court, he had extended it to 14 straight.
The 22-year-old Spaniard played some really good tennis throughout the duration of his one-hour, 42-second match against Walton, in which he triumphed 6-4, 7-6 (4). Along the way, Alcaraz saved a couple of set points in the second set.
VAMOS ️
The best bits from @carlosalcaraz‘s opening win at the #HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/egb3kGwBj7
— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 17, 2025
In his first match of the season on grass, Alcaraz won 86 percent of his first-serve points, struck 33 winners – including 10 aces – and converted one of five break-point chances. He saved the only two break points that he faced and outpointed Walton 80-67.
The 86th-ranked Walton replaced No. 28 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, who withdrew from the event Tuesday morning due to illness.
As Queen’s Club is the last stop for Alcaraz before he attempts to achieve a three-peat at the Wimbledon Championships, which begins in less than two weeks, he is seeking his fourth career grass-court title in his last five events played on the surface. Alcaraz leads the ATP Tour in wins (38) and titles (4) this season. It all adds up to plenty of plenty of confidence for him, thanks to his remarkable run at Roland-Garros, in which he won his second straight French Open title.
Grasscaraz mode activated ✅ pic.twitter.com/zF57MAPa5S
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) June 17, 2025
When he was reminded during his on-court interview with ATP Media that’s it’s been just nine days since he won Roland-Garros, Alcaraz said: “Honestly, it feels like it’s been more than nine days. It’s been crazy. It feels great to start [playing] on the grass, again. I’m super happy to be back on grass. It’s a surface that’s been special to me.
“In these nine days, I’ve done everything,” Alcaraz added. “I’ve rested up, practiced, played match games. It has been nine great days. I’m happy to be back here.”
Alcaraz’s next opponent will be fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar, ranked 59th, who advanced by retirement over No. 37 Jordan Thompson of Australia after winning the 47-minute opening set 7-5.
New surface, same @carlosalcaraz. ✅#HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/al5B2B8qml
— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 17, 2025
While Alcaraz has excelled on grass in part thanks to his big serve and comfort in playing points at the net, it’s his return game that’s also allowed him to do so well. According to the ATP Tour statistics, the Alcaraz has won 32.56 percent of his first-serve return points on grass during his career, which is the best mark on record. Although he won just 27 percent of his first-serve return points against Walton, Alcaraz bettered that mark by garnering 44 percent of his second-serve return points for an 34-percent success rate overall.
By comparison, No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur of Australia, a 2023 Queen’s Club finalist who bowed in Tuesday’s first round to Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka, 6-4, 6-2, in 76 minutes on Andy Murray Arena, is second behind Alcaraz with a 31.63 percentage of efficiency on first-serve returns. Against Lehecka, who was a quarterfinalist last week at Stuttgart, he managed to win just 16 percent of his first-serve returns. De Minaur came into the match leading the Tour in most ATP 500 victories since the start of the 2023 season with 37, but he proved no match for Lehecka.
Victory for Lehecka ️
The Czech moves past 2023 finalist de Minaur & into the last 16! pic.twitter.com/vbg4PzUZVf
— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 17, 2025
Draper shows why it’s good to be home
Great Britain’s 23-year-old Jack Draper is the first British Top-2 seed at Queen’s Club since No. 1 Andy Murray in 2017. He’s head and shoulders above the other four home-grown players, who began play this week in the annual Wimbledon tune-up. Last year, Draper defeated No. 2 Alcaraz in second round for biggest win of his career. This season, Draper is 26-7, highlighted by his first ATP Masters 1000 title run in Indian Wells.
Now, as the World No. 6 Draper aims to join five-time champion Murray as only British to lift the men’s singles title at this event in Open Era, he began his campaign against 149th-ranked Jenson Brooksby of the United States. The native of Sutton, England breezed into the second round on the strength of a 6-3, 6-1 win with an overpowering performance in an hour and 17 minutes on Andy Murray Arena. He showed why it’s good to be home.
Sealed with an ACE ☄️@jackdraper0 storms through at the #HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/AQF6LZhRrk
— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 17, 2025
The second-seeded Draper, who dropped just two points on his first serve in winning 93 percent of his first-serve points, struck 18 winners – including eight aces – and converted four of eight break-point opportunities. He faced no break points from his opponent and outpointed Brooksby 62-45. The victory improved his career head-to-head against the American to 4-0.
During his on-court interview with ATP Media, Draper was asked about his feelings and expectations being home in Great Britain. “Definitely good. I didn’t want to expect too much today,” he said. “My preparation has not been unbelievable. I’ve had a couple of niggles. I was coming in thinking I haven’t played too much on the grass after a long clay-court season.
“I’m trying to adapt to the grass surface. It’s a challenge but I’m enjoying being home. I have no complaints.”
“Unbelievable tournament, unbelievable day!” @jackdraper0 with a winning message from the #HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/QdtIgGeakB
— LTA (@the_LTA) June 17, 2025
Next, Draper will face No. 21 Alexei Popyrin of Australia, who defeated 83rd-ranked Australian qualifier Aleksandar Vukic, 6-2, 6-7 (9), 7-6 (3), in two hours and 31 minutes on Court 5. Popyrin walloped 51 winners – including 19 aces – and outpointed Vukic 123-103.
Around The Queen’s Club
In addition to the tournament’s top two seeds – Alcaraz and Draper – being in action, a couple of other top seeds saw their first action in the tournament – and it produced a pair of upsets. American No. 1 Taylor Fritz, seeded third, lost to French qualifier Corentin Moutet and No. 6 seed Ben Shelton was eliminated by lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech of France.
Fritz and Moutet were locked up in a lengthy and entertaining three-setter that pushed to the brink of sunset. Finally, the mercurial Frenchman, ranked 89th, pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament with a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-5 victory in two hours and 54 minutes – longest match of the day – on Andy Murray Arena. Moutet hit 36 winners, converted two of four break points against Fritz, and saved a match point.
“Moutet mesmerises at The Queen’s Club!”
From match point down to the second round
— HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 17, 2025
Shelton was upset by the 80th-ranked Rinderknech, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), in one hour and 48 minutes on Court 1 in a battle of big servers. Rinderknech withstood 22 aces from Shelton and supplied 14 of his own, along with 36 winners. He outpointed Shelton 85-74. Next, the French No. 8 will face No. 75 Reilly Opelka of the United States, who eased past No. 53 Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina, 7-6 (6), 6-4, in 89 minutes on Court 5.
Among the other first-round winners:
• No. 44 Gabriel Diallo of Canada, just two days removed from winning his first ATP Tour-level title at the Libema Open in the Netherlands, advanced over 113th-ranked British wild card Billy Harris, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, in one hour and 50 minutes on Court 1, thanks to winning 85 percent of his first-serve points.
• No. 32 Brandon Nakashima of the United States, who advanced past No. 36 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5), 6-4, in two hours and 31 minutes on Court 1, despite allowing 52 winners and 23 aces by the Frenchman.
Hats off to you @b_nakashima
The American topples Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(10), 7-6(5), 6-4!@QueensTennis | #HSBCChampionships pic.twitter.com/I4Xn2zZ5IO
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 17, 2025
Tuesday’s HSBC Championships results
Wednesday’s HSBC Championships order of play
By the numbers
The last British man to the the Queen’s Club title was Andy Murray in 2016.
“Quotable …”
“The court’s good and it’s held up well. I think it’s amazing the [women] got to play here in London. Queen’s Club is one of the best tournaments in the world – not to say that because I’m biased. It’s in great condition. I’m happy to be playing on the Centre Court. I’m hungry and want to do the best I can in front of my crowd. I’ve got the support behind me.”
– No. 2 seed Jack Draper of Great Britain, during his on-court interview Tuesday, after defeating Jenson Brooksby.
