Cerundolo Overcomes Early Deficit to Lift Queen’s Crown
A first-set tiebreak loss might have unsettled most players, yet Francisco Cerundolo adjusted his patterns on the London grass and claimed the title against Tommy Paul with Wimbledon just days away.
Seventh-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina beat former champion Tommy Paul to win the Queen’s final 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.
Return depth disrupts Paul rhythm
Cerundolo dropped the opening set in a tiebreak yet refused to let the deficit linger. He tightened his return game and began carving crosscourt angles that pulled Paul wide, shifting the tempo before the second set even settled. The Argentine entered the decider with a clear plan to exploit the faster grass by shortening his swing and targeting wider crosscourt angles that pulled the American out of position.
Cerundolo tightened his second-serve returns after the opening tiebreak, adding slice that skidded low and forced Paul into defensive stances. This adjustment limited the American’s ability to step inside the baseline and dictated the one–two combinations that followed. Paul had won five of the prior seven encounters on other surfaces, yet the London grass rewarded Cerundolo’s heavier topspin crosscourt drives that pinned his opponent behind the baseline.
Tactical tweaks secure the decider
By the third set Cerundolo mixed inside-out forehands with occasional down-the-line slices, keeping Paul guessing on every return. The Argentine saved four break points in the final frame, each time stepping forward to cut off angles rather than retreating. Cerundolo converted his fifth match point after forcing a short ball that he dispatched inside-in.
This marks Cerundolo’s second title of the year and his fifth career crown, the second on grass after Eastbourne in 2023. Paul, the 2024 champion and No. 8 seed, fell for the sixth time in eight meetings. The ATP 500 event in London serves as a tuneup for the grass-court Grand Slam at Wimbledon, which starts June 29. Cerundolo now carries fresh confidence into the final week of preparation.