Cerundolo Wins Queen's
Francisco Cerundolo defeats Tommy Paul in Queen's Club final for second consecutive title.
Francisco Cerúndolo of Argentina defeated American Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to win the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London — the longest final in the tournament's 136-year history at 3 hours and 3 minutes, according to Sky Sports. The seventh-seeded Cerúndolo clinched victory on his fifth match point, claiming his fifth career title and his first at the ATP 500 level.
The win makes Cerúndolo the first Argentine man ever to lift the Queen's Club trophy, Reuters reported. It is also his second title of 2026, following his victory at the Argentina Open in February. Wimbledon begins on June 29.
Cerúndolo Fights Back After Losing First Set
Paul, the 2024 Queen's champion, looked in control early. He won the first set in a tiebreak 7-4 after 66 minutes of play, according to Sky Sports. But Cerúndolo refused to fold. He broke Paul in the final game of the second set to level the match at one set apiece.
The deciding third set was nearly derailed. Cerúndolo squandered three match points at 5-2 before finally serving out the win on his fifth attempt, per The New Enterprise. He converted 5 of 8 break-point chances across the match. Paul converted all 3 of his but could not sustain the pressure.
An Emotional Win — Father Flies to Europe for First Time
After the match, Cerúndolo had a message for his family. "I want to thank my mum and dad — they only arrived for the last two games!" he said, according to Sky Sports. He added: "It's the first time my father has taken a plane to watch me play outside of Argentina." His parents made it to the arena just minutes before the final point.
The trophy ceremony capped a remarkable run for the 27-year-old. Long seen as a clay-court specialist, Cerúndolo has steadily improved on grass. He won the Eastbourne title in 2023 and now owns a 2-2 record against Paul on the surface, Beaumont Enterprise reported.
Historic First for Argentina at a 136-Year-Old Tournament
No Argentine man had ever won at Queen's Club before Sunday. David Nalbandian reached the final in 2012 but was disqualified before lifting the trophy. Cerúndolo ended that wait in style, according to WWLTV. The tournament, now officially called the HSBC Championships after a sponsorship change in 2025, has been played for 136 years.
Cerúndolo earned £417,746 in prize money and 500 ATP ranking points for the win. Paul received 330 points. Cerúndolo is projected to rise to World No. 21 — close to his career-high of No. 18 — giving him a stronger seeding heading into Wimbledon, per WKYC.
Paul's Nine-Match Queen's Winning Streak Comes to an End
Tommy Paul arrived at the final riding a nine-match winning streak at Queen's Club, dating back to his 2024 title run. American commentators noted he was well-placed to win a second grass-court title this year, after also claiming Houston in April, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
But Cerúndolo's powerful forehand and mental toughness wore Paul down as the match stretched past three hours. Analysts noted that Cerúndolo dominated the longer rallies in the third set. With the win, Cerúndolo moves to 12th in the ATP Race to Turin — the year-end championship finals — putting him firmly in contention for a spot there.
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