World No. 4 Jack Draper commented on the incident during his Queen`s Club semi-final match against Jiří Lehečka (4/6, 6/4, 5/7), where he broke his racket. During the match, the British player damaged a digital advertising board and also scratched his knee.
“It was really everything building up,” Draper explained. “It was partly because of how I was playing at times, and also because of the sheer amount of work I`ve invested to reach this stage. I was making a strong effort to compose myself and direct my energy constructively.”
“When you see a ball whizz past you in a crucial moment like that, it feels difficult to envision breaking serve in the very next game, even though I kept trying.”
He added, “I certainly don`t approve of that kind of behavior, but I was just in that headspace at the time. I was giving absolutely everything, battling for each point, but ultimately, the frustration just boiled over.”
Rupert Hartwell