Jack Draper using Queen's exit for motivation ahead of Wimbledon

Draper, whose family hail from Wigan, missed out on reaching the final in West Kensington after he fell to a 6-4 4-6 7-5 defeat at the hands of Jiri Lehecka.

The 23-year-old hopes to use the experience of the week in west London as the building block for a fruitful summer on the lawns of SW19.

“I felt like it was a solid week," said Draper, who was battling a bout of tonsilitis. "I didn't play my best tennis, but at the same time seeing the improvements since last year and I gave myself a chance of being in the final. I didn't quite get over the line but that's tennis really and I'm looking to keep improving from here to hopefully do better at Wimbledon.

“All of my losses, I just use as fuel and as motivation to get better. Now I have got to improve some things in the next week. I'm really happy to be able to have four matches on the grass and that's a real plus going into Wimbledon."

Draper's frustration was plain to see after his dream of a home final was denied by the Czech, provoking him to apologise for his temporary loss of composure.

He added: “I have worked so hard to get myself in that position and I really tried to get myself up and get the energy going. I was trying to use everything I could. I tried to compete for every ball but in the end, anger just spilled over a little bit too much.

Draper's exploits in reaching the final four at Queen's earlier this week secured him a top four seed at Wimbledon ahead of the all-important draw.

That means he will avoid heavyweight duo Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, between them winners of the last six Grand Slams, until the semi-finals should he progress that far.

There, the eyes of the nation will be upon him as the great hope of British tennis and Draper is welcoming the weight of expectation.

He said: “Obviously there is a little bit of pressure, but at the same time, I have really felt the home support. It's gotten more in every match I played and that's something that really is an advantage and drives me on. When I'm out there, I don't think about any of pressure. I've got a job in front of me. I've got to play point by point.

“It's a privilege to be in the position I'm in, and I'm going to go to Wimbledon and I'm going to feel amazing. I'm going to feel great about myself. I'm going back there in the position that I have always wanted to be since I was a kid and I'll prepare properly and the best I can to play some of my best tennis there. The home support that I will receive is going to help me to do well.”

Draper's dad, Roger, is the former Sport England, LTA and Super League chief who studied at Winstanley College.