Jack Draper has offered an explanation as to why he was not in prime condition for his Queen's semi-final clash which he lost in three sets to Jiri Lehecka.
The Briton came down with tonsillitis on Friday, and by Saturday, his condition had peaked. "I haven't felt good all week," he admitted. "Today's probably the worst I've felt."
Despite the illness, the British number one refused to consider withdrawing from the semi-final. "Did I think about withdrawing? No, not at all. I'm in the semi-finals at Queen's. I'd probably go on court with a broken leg. I wouldn't have pulled out for anything."
Draper acknowledged his opponent's superiority on the day. "I lost today because I lost to a better tennis player. He was better than me in the key moments. He served better. I think he was a bit braver at times."
Jack Draper's Queen's Club campaign ended in frustration on Saturday as the British number one lost his semi-final 6-4 4-6 7-5 to Jiri Lehecka whilst battling tonsillitis.
Jack Draper lashed out and destroyed an advertising board in the final set
BBC
The 23-year-old's anger boiled over when Lehecka broke serve at 5-5 in the deciding set, prompting Draper to smash his racket against a digital advertising hoarding. The outburst left him with a grazed knee and damaged the courtside display.
Draper had been struggling with low energy throughout the match due to his illness. He attempted to channel his frustration into motivation but ultimately could not contain his emotions as the crucial break point slipped away.
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The defeat ended Draper's hopes of reaching his first ATP 500 final on home soil.
The match turned in the final set when Lehecka fired a backhand winner past Draper to secure the decisive break. "When you see that ball go past you on that point, you know, it's very tough to see yourself breaking in the next game, although I tried my best on that," Draper explained.
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The remains of Jack Draper's racquet after he swung it
BBC
The British player acknowledged his behaviour was unacceptable. "I don't condone that behaviour, but at the same time, that's kind of where I was at today," he said. "I was trying to use everything I could. I tried to compete every ball. But in the end, anger just spilled over a little bit too much."
Draper revealed he had been attempting to generate energy through emotion. "It was bit of everything, really. The way I was sort of playing at times. Obviously the fact that I've worked so hard to get myself in that position. I really tried to get myself up, get the energy going."
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Lehecka's victory marked a historic achievement as he became the first Czech player to reach the Queen's Club final since Ivan Lendl achieved the feat in 1990.
The world number 30 consistently troubled Draper with his powerful serving, regularly hitting speeds approaching 140mph.
Jiri Lehecka becomes the first Czech player to reach the final in over 30 years
Reuters
Despite the disappointment, Draper's week at Queen's proved beneficial for his Wimbledon preparations. His run to the semi-finals secured him the fourth seed at the All England Club.
The British number one plans to take several days to recover from his illness before the Championships begin. "I'm proud of the way I went about things, considering, but it's tough, because you're in a position where you're in a professional sport," Draper reflected on his performance whilst unwell.
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