Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo produced a remarkable comeback to defeat defending champion Tommy Paul of the United States and claim the prestigious Queen’s Club Championships title in London on Sunday.
The seventh-seeded Argentine rallied from a set down to secure a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 victory over the eighth-seeded American in a gripping final at the Andy Murray Arena, lifting the ATP 500 trophy and strengthening his credentials ahead of Wimbledon.
Cerundolo showed resilience after narrowly losing a tightly contested opening set in a tiebreak. The Argentine responded with aggressive baseline play and improved consistency in the second set to level the match before taking control in the decider.
The 26-year-old eventually sealed victory on his fifth championship point, capping an impressive week on the grass courts of west London and denying Paul a successful title defence.
The triumph marks Cerundolo’s second ATP title of the 2026 season and the fifth tournament victory of his professional career. It is also his second career title on grass, following his success at Eastbourne in 2023, further underlining his growing reputation as a dangerous player on the surface.
For Paul, the defeat ended his bid for a sixth ATP title and a successful defence of the crown he won in 2024. The American battled strongly throughout the final but was unable to halt Cerundolo’s momentum after the Argentine found his rhythm in the latter stages of the match.
The result also continued Cerundolo’s dominance in their head-to-head meetings, with the Argentine now holding six victories from eight encounters against Paul.
The Queen’s Club Championships, one of the most prestigious grass-court events outside Wimbledon, serves as a key preparation tournament for players ahead of the season’s third Grand Slam.
With Wimbledon set to begin on June 29, Cerundolo’s title-winning run in London is expected to boost his confidence significantly as he heads to the All England Club seeking a deep run at the sport’s most famous tournament.
AP
