Francisco Cerúndolo achieved the greatest milestone of his career this Sunday by becoming the champion of the ATP 500 at Queen's, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the grass circuit. The Argentine defeated the American Tommy Paul (28th) by 6-7 (4), 6-4, and 6-3 in a high-level final.
The match started favorably for Cerúndolo, who managed an early break and served for the first set. However, Paul reacted in time, recovered the deficit, and ultimately won the tie-break to take the lead on the scoreboard.
Far from feeling the blow, the Buenos Aires native kept his composure and raised his level in the second set. After losing his serve at a crucial moment, he quickly regained the break and took advantage of a new opportunity on his opponent's serve to level the match at 6-4.
Despite his initial disadvantages, Cerúndolo managed to stay calm and prevail over Paul
The conclusion came in the third set. With an increasingly dominant forehand, Cerúndolo secured the decisive break in the sixth game and managed the lead with authority. Although he needed several attempts to close out the match, he finally sealed the victory on his fifth match point and celebrated lying on the grass, aware of the magnitude of his achievement.
With this victory, Cerúndolo became the first Argentine tennis player to win the ATP 500 at Queen's, one of the most traditional tournaments on the circuit and a key preparation stop for Wimbledon.
Additionally, this victory represents the fifth ATP title of his career and the second on this surface, following the one he won in Eastbourne in 2023, also against Paul. However, due to the category and tradition of the event, Queen's has become the most significant achievement of his professional career.
The title in Queen's is the most important in Cerúndolo's career
During the awards ceremony, Cerúndolo delivered one of the most emotional moments of the day by , who accompanied him for the first time in a tournament outside the country.
"I want to thank my family. That's my mom; they just arrived for the last two games. My dad… This is the first time I've seen them since Argentina. It's the first time my dad has taken a flight and the first time he has come to see me outside of Argentina. I want to congratulate my dad; he took a plane and came all the way here. It's Father's Day in Argentina, so this is for you".
With the Queen's trophy in his hands and confidence at its peak, Cerúndolo will arrive at Wimbledon with the certainty that his tennis can compete at the highest level on any surface.
