The 2025 HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club have reached a thrilling climax as British No. 1 Jack Draper secured his place in the men’s singles semi-finals for the first time, setting the stage for an electrifying showdown with Czech star Jiri Lehecka. Draper’s hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory over American Brandon Nakashima on June 20 marked a significant milestone in his career, not only propelling him into the last four but also elevating him to a career-high world ranking of No. 4. This achievement guarantees Draper a coveted top-four seeding at Wimbledon, ensuring he avoids facing the world’s top two players, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, before the semi-finals.
On the same day, Jiri Lehecka continued his impressive run by defeating British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley 7-5, 6-2 in a swift 78-minute quarter-final. Lehecka’s victory ended Fearnley’s promising debut at the ATP Tour level, where the Edinburgh native had earlier booked his quarter-final spot with a gritty three-set win over French qualifier Corentin Moutet. Despite Fearnley’s valiant efforts, including strong serving and clutch break points, his eight double faults proved costly against the resilient Czech.
Meanwhile, top seed and 2023 champion Carlos Alcaraz maintained his quest for a second Queen's Club title by overcoming lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4 in just over an hour. Alcaraz’s performance followed a grueling three-hour and 26-minute battle against compatriot Jaume Munar in the previous round, showcasing his stamina and skill on grass. The Spaniard’s 16-match winning streak, the longest of his career, underscores his formidable form heading into the semi-finals, where he will face compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut.
Bautista Agut himself produced a stunning upset by defeating fourth seed Holger Rune in a marathon three-set match lasting two hours and 28 minutes. The Spaniard edged out Rune 7-6(7), 6-7(7), 6-2, demonstrating tenacity and experience in tightly contested tiebreaks before securing an early break in the decider to seal his semi-final berth.
The semi-final schedule on June 21 features Draper against Lehecka as the opening match on the Andy Murray Arena, starting shortly after 1 pm BST, followed by the Alcaraz versus Bautista Agut clash. Both matches promise high-quality tennis and are pivotal as players vie for the prestigious ATP 500 title and crucial ranking points ahead of Wimbledon.
Draper, known for his perfectionism, admitted that while his level of play could be more consistent, he is gradually adapting to grass courts after a demanding clay season. “The level of what I’m playing could be more consistent, definitely better,” Draper said. “I think it will come. The more I practise, the more I play, I’m getting a little bit better each time.” His resilience was evident in the Nakashima match, where he held nerve in critical moments, especially in the final set, to clinch victory.
Alcaraz, reflecting on his quick recovery from the exhausting Munar match, commented, “Could be better, honestly, but I thought I was going to feel much worse than I feel right now. But we are tennis players, we have to do whatever we have to do just to recover, to be in good shape the next day. I’m just feeling great.” His ability to bounce back quickly is a testament to his elite conditioning and mental toughness.
The men’s doubles semi-finals also feature strong British representation. Jacob Fearnley teams up with Cameron Norrie to face the formidable Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus, while the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara will challenge Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. These matches add an extra layer of excitement to the tournament as fans eagerly anticipate home success in both singles and doubles.
On the women’s side, the tournament made history with the return of the women’s event after a 52-year hiatus. German qualifier Tatjana Maria stunned the tennis world by clinching the WTA 500 title with a straight-sets victory over eighth seed Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 6-4. Maria’s remarkable run included wins over four top-15 players, such as Australian Open champion Madison Keys and 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, making her the oldest ever WTA 500 champion.
Maria’s crafty slice and tenacious defense proved too much for Anisimova, who struggled to find consistency on serve, winning only 55% of points on her first serve in the opening set. Maria’s composed performance in the final moments saw her serve out the match with confidence, capping off a dream week at Queen’s.
Meanwhile, Anisimova reached her first grass-court WTA final by overcoming top seed Qinwen Zheng and two British wild cards, Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal, showcasing her rising prowess on grass. The semi-finals will feature Maria against Madison Keys and Anisimova facing Emma Navarro, who battled back from match point down to defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia in a nearly three-hour epic.
British stars Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter had mixed fortunes. Raducanu advanced to the quarter-finals before falling to top seed Qinwen Zheng, while Boulter exited in the second round after a tough three-set loss to Diana Shnaider. Heather Watson also bowed out, defeated by former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, though she showed promise with three wins earlier in the tournament.
The doubles competition saw Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs claim the women’s doubles title after a thrilling 7-5, 6-7(3), 10-4 win over Anna Danilina and Diana Shnaider, marking their second title of the season. British doubles hopefuls Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu made a strong debut but were ultimately bested by top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe.
As the 2025 HSBC Championships near their conclusion, the tournament continues to deliver compelling narratives, from Draper’s breakthrough and Alcaraz’s dominant streak to Maria’s historic triumph. With the men’s final set for June 22 and the women’s title already decided, tennis fans are treated to a week of high-stakes competition and thrilling performances on the grass courts of The Queen’s Club.
