Federico Cerundolo produced a landmark performance at Queen’s Club on Sunday, edging Tommy Paul in a gripping final to secure the biggest title of his career and etch his name into the tournament’s history books.
The Argentine, ranked among the rising forces on tour, became the first player from his country to win the prestigious Wimbledon warm up event, joining a list of past champions that includes legends such as Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Rafael Nadal.
The final itself stretched into a record breaking battle, lasting three hours and four minutes to become the longest in Queen’s Club history. Cerundolo eventually triumphed 6 7, 6 4, 6 3 after a match played under intense heat in London, testing both physical strength and mental endurance.
Once again, he showed remarkable resilience after dropping the opening set. It marked the third consecutive match in which he had come from a set behind, a pattern that defined his run to the title. His ability to recover under pressure proved decisive against Paul, who started slowly before finding his rhythm and pushing the contest deep.
Paul, the 2024 champion who missed last year’s edition through injury, looked sharp after the early exchanges but could not maintain control as the match wore on. Cerundolo, however, kept pressing and gradually took command of the deciding sets.
After the win, Cerundolo dedicated part of his success to his family, who had only recently joined him in London. He spoke warmly about his parents watching him abroad for the first time, a moment made even more special as it coincided with Father’s Day celebrations.
There was also a personal touch to his inspiring week, with a Diego Maradona Argentina shirt placed in his player’s box serving as a quiet source of motivation throughout the tournament.
What began as a tough opening set ended as a career defining victory, as Cerundolo’s patience, endurance and belief carried him through one of the most demanding finals Queen’s Club has ever seen.
