Jiri Lehecka produced a brilliant display to beat home favourite Jack Draper and reach the final of Queen's. A capacity crowd on Saturday buoyed on Draper, as he aimed to become the seventh British man to reach the final of the event during the Open Era.
Instead, the wait for a first British winner of the tournament since Andy Murray in 2016 will roll on after Lehecka triumphed 6-4 4-6 7-5.
It looked as though Draper had turned the momentum fully in his favour when he took a 5-4 lead in the deciding set to move within one game of victory.
Yet Lehecka found an inner steel to hold brilliantly in the next game, and then take a crucial break to nose himself into the lead.
Lehecka did not let the advantage slip, with a powerful serve returned long by Draper as Lehecka celebrated reaching his second final of the season, having won the Brisbane International back in January.
Data Debrief: Lehecka shows his mettle
Draper, who will be seeded in the top four at Wimbledon, was well supported, but Lehecka made his intentions clear early on 바카라“ he was not here to make any friends.
The 23-year-old is into his first final on grass and has dropped just one set all week, with that concession coming in the second set of this encounter as an inspired Draper roared back.
He is the first Czech man to reach a Tour-level final on a grass court since Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon in 2010, while he is only the second Queen's finalist from his nation in the Open Era.
