“Super proud”: Cerundolo becomes the first Argentinian to win Queen’s, fighting back to deny Paul

Argentinian seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo recovered from a set and a break down to beat American Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday afternoon, becoming the first man from his country to win the HSBC Championships and the new grass-court champion at Queen’s Club.

Paul had been a set and a break to the good, leading 7-6, 3-2 up an early break in the second before his grip loosened.

Cerundolo struggled to take it in. “I still cannot believe it. I fought really hard the whole week. Every match was a war, and I think I got the reward,” he said. “Winning this tournament, coming from Argentina, winning such a historical event on grass ; I would never have imagined lifting this trophy.”

He turned the moment outward, to the country behind him. “It’s been an incredible year for me, for my brother (who defeated Sinner at Roland-Garros, editor’s note), for many Argentinians. We have 10 or 11 almost in the top 100. Argentina is a fantastic country – we don’t have the resources others have, and we still compete at the high level. I’m super proud of representing it, and being the first one to win here is unbelievable.”

Paul a towel draped over his head

For almost an hour it looked as though Cerundolo would be made to rue a chance lost. He broke Paul in the opening game and controlled the first set throughout, leading 5-4 with the set on his racquet, only to be broken to love as he served for it – three points conceded in a flash.

He regrouped to force a tie-break at 6-6, but the breaker swung against him: having traded mini-breaks to reach 4-4, he dropped two more points on serve and lost it 7-4. A set he had dominated for 50 minutes had slipped away in the worst possible fashion.

What followed was a test of his composure, and he passed it. The second set turned not on flair but on his ability to defend his serve when it mattered most, the very quality that had deserted him in the first. He saved two break points in the opening game, was pegged back when broken at 2-2 after leading 30-0, but broke straight back for 3-3 to settle the contest’s rhythm.

From there it became a war of nerve: Paul saved two break points at 4-4, Cerundolo saved two more at 5-4 from 15-40 down, and the Argentinian finally broke for the set, levelling the match at one set apiece.

The decider followed the same script of resistance and timing. Cerundolo survived a marathon opening hold, saving a break point across five deuces, then broke Paul at 4-2 on a single chance to move clear.

Closing it out proved a trial of its own. He created three match points on the Paul serve — one at 30-40 and two from advantage – and saw all three saved before he sealed the title at the next opportunity with a smash. Paul, the 2024 champion, sat with a towel draped over his head at the finish, a match he had led for so long gone from his grasp.

Cerundolo’s second title in 2026

The victory snapped Paul’s nine-match winning streak at the event and extended Cerundolo’s recent edge in the rivalry to four straight wins. It was the fifth title of the Argentinian’s career and his second of 2026, as well as his second on grass and his first on the surface since 2023.

Cerundolo, ranked No 27, had reached the final with wins over American Brandon Nakashima (6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4), Englishman Arthur Fery (7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4), American Jenson Brooksby (6-0, 6-4) and American Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2).

Paul, ranked No 28, had come through against Frenchman Ugo Humbert (6-3, 6-3), Spanish fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (6-3, 7-6 (4)), Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp (7-6 (5), 6-3) and compatriot Zachary Svajda (7-5, 6-3).