Francisco Cerúndolo made the grass at Queen’s tremble this Sunday and crowned himself champion of the ATP 500 in London, the most important title of his career. The Argentine, who had been having an inconsistent season, delivered an out-of-this-world performance to defeat American Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 in a final that had everything: breaks, tie-breaks, unforced errors, and a movie-like comeback.
The match started with Cerúndolo solid, breaking early and serving for the first set. But Paul, a tough nut to crack, reacted just in time, recovered the deficit, and took the set in a tie-break. It seemed the Argentine would crumble, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Buenos Aires native shook off the blow, adjusted his aim, and came out to dominate the court in the second set. He lost his serve at a key moment but broke back immediately and took it 6-4, leveling the match.
The third set was a Cerúndolo monologue. With an increasingly sharp forehand, he broke in the sixth game and managed the lead like a veteran. However, to close out the match he needed five match points, but on the fifth he didn’t hesitate and fell to the ground, overwhelmed with emotion. The crowd, which had arrived with doubts, ended up giving him a standing ovation.
With this victory, Cerúndolo became the first Argentine to win the ATP 500 at Queen’s, a tournament with its own history and the perfect warm-up for Wimbledon. It is also his fifth ATP title and his second on grass, after Eastbourne in 2023, also against Paul. But this is another level: Queen’s is Queen’s, and the kid from Buenos Aires knows it.
The most emotional moment came during the trophy ceremony, when Cerúndolo dedicated the win to his family, especially his father, who traveled abroad for the first time to see him. «It’s Father’s Day in Argentina, so this is for you,» he said through tears, as his dad watched from the stands. A gesture that broke hearts.
Now, with the trophy under his arm and morale sky-high, Cerúndolo heads to Wimbledon with the certainty that his tennis can compete at the highest level on any surface. If he plays like this, watch out for the Argentine.
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para mi Cerundolo es el unico argentino de verdad loco los otros son unos blanditos que rien con champagne Tommy Paul un muerto ni a la final tenia que llegar la derecha de Fran es un misil y el corazon de acero aguante la argentina carajo Vamos Fran sos el mejor firmado El_Pibe_De_La_Torre
Para mí Cerúndolo es un mostro de la clase obrera, le rompió el orto a ese yanki de Tommy Paul que juega como un oligarca con miedo al pasto. La derecha de Fran es un misil del pueblo, y ese corazón no se compra ni con los dólares del FMI. Mientras tanto los gorilas lloran. AGUANTE FRAN, CARAJO!