London, UK, 18 June 2025 | Glenn Moore, AAP

Alexei Popyrin, who has the tools and form to spring a surprise at Wimbledon, enjoyed a very useful work-out in beating compatriot Aleksandar Vukic in three sets on Tuesday at Queen’s Club.

Popyrin, now ranked 21, dominated the first set against Vukic but was then drawn into a dogfight which will prove useful for both players, eventually winning 6-2 6-7(9) 7-6(3).

Popyrin will now play Jack Draper, the British No.1 and second seed, who dismissed Jenson Brooksby 6-3 6-1.

Earlier on Tuesday, Alex de Minaur fell at the first hurdle in an event where he reached the 2023 final.

There was also a shock main court appearance for Adam Walton, who was suddenly called up to face top seed Carlos Alcaraz as a lucky loser.

That was because Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – who had come to England after getting married in Marbella, Spain, at the weekend – had withdrawn with illness.

Walton, ranked 86, lost 6-4 7-6(4) to the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion but acquitted himself well in his main draw Queen’s debut.

Under a blazing sun on Andy Murray Arena, Walton held serve easily to 3-3 in the first set, but was then broken in his fourth service game after saving several break points, to give Alcaraz a lead he did not relinquish.

Alcaraz, the 2023 Queen’s winner who will soon be bidding for a third successive Wimbledon title, was unable to break Walton in the second set and needed the tiebreak to take the set, and match.

Alcaraz had been practising with another Aussie, Jordan Thompson, when he was given the news, which he greeted with a grin towards Thompson..

But Thompson was not smiling later on Tuesday as he was forced to retire when playing Jaume Munar. Munar will now play Alcaraz in an all-Spanish clash.

Thompson was a semifinalist at the prestigious grasscourt tune-up last year.

De Minaur was playing his first match on grass this year, and his first on any surface since losing early at Roland Garros.

He had taken a break to reset, professing mental and physical burn-out, but looked flat on court as he lost 6-4 6-2 to powerful world No.30 Jiri Lehecka.

De Minaur was broken in the opening game, and never managed to break back in the first set as Lehecka served up to 226km/h. He was unable to break in the second set either, dropping serve himself at 1-1, in part due to an unlucky netcord, and again at 2-4.

“Just not a good day at the office – I wasn’t up for the level,” De Minaur reflected. “If you want to be effective against him, you’ve got to be ready from the very first point till the last and you need to bring a high level. Today I did not do that.”