LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz reached the Queen鈥檚 Club final for the second time as the world No. 2 eased to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday.

Alcaraz extended his career-best winning streak to 17 matches in a semifinal played in sweltering conditions at the Wimbledon warm-up event in west London.

The five-time Grand Slam champion hit 36 winners and 15 aces to dispatch his fellow Spaniard in 90 minutes.

Top seeded Alcaraz will face Jiri Lehecka in Sunday鈥檚 final after the Czech world No. 30鈥檚 shock 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 win against British star Jack Draper in the other semifinal.

Playing his first tournament since his epic French Open victory against Jannik Sinner two weeks ago, the 22-year-old is through to his fifth successive final after lifting titles on clay in Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Monte Carlo.

Alcaraz signalled his emergence as a grass-court force by winning Queen鈥檚 in 2023, clinching the Wimbledon title for the first time just weeks later and defending his All England Club crown last year.

He is one victory away from becoming only the second Spaniard to win Queen鈥檚 twice, after Feliciano Lopez鈥檚 victories in 2017 and 2019.

鈥淚鈥檓 playing great tennis. After every match I鈥檓 feeling more comfortable. Making the final here is so special once again,鈥� Alcaraz said.

鈥淚 love making the crowds enjoy watching my games. Whenever I put a smile on my face I play my best tennis.

鈥淚 try to have fun and bring joy on the court. That is why I鈥檓 making good results.鈥�

Alcaraz wasted little time taking control against Bautista Agut, unfurling a deft drop-shot to break in the third game of the match.

That was all the encouragement Alcaraz needed as he held serve with ease to close out the first set.

Bautista Agut, 37, enjoyed a surprise win over Danish fourth seed Holger Rune in the last eight.

But Alcaraz never looked like suffering the same fate and he delivered the knockout blow in the second set.

A whipped forehand down the line earned a break-point that he converted to move 3-2 ahead.

The nerveless Alcaraz finished off the win in typically ruthless fashion to the delight of the fans waving Spanish flags to salute their hero.

Earlier, Lehecka ended Draper鈥檚 bid for a maiden Queen鈥檚 final appearance.

Lehecka, who will be playing in his first ATP grass-court final, is the first Czech to reach the men鈥檚 title match at Queen鈥檚 since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990.

The 23-year-old said: 鈥淚t means a lot. You don鈥檛 meet a player like Jack every day, he鈥檚 an amazing competitor.鈥�

Draper was hoping to become the first British singles champion at Queen鈥檚 since five-time winner Andy Murray鈥檚 most recent victory in 2016.

But the world No. 6 will have to wait at least another year to get his hands on the silverware after claiming a bout of tonsillitis played a role in his defeat.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 felt good all week. I鈥檓 proud of the way I went about things, considering, but it鈥檚 tough,鈥� he said.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e an entertainer, an athlete, and you have no choice. No one cares, you know. So you鈥檝e just got to go out there and do the best you can.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 probably the worst I鈥檝e felt. Did I think about withdrawing? No, not at all. I鈥檓 in the semifinals at Queen鈥檚. I鈥檇 probably go on court with a broken leg.鈥�

Lehecka had already ended the hopes of one Briton at Queen鈥檚 after beating Jacob Fearnley in the quarter-finals on Friday.

He also defeated world number 12 Alex de Minaur in his opening match of the tournament, but knocking out Draper was his biggest scalp yet.