The HSBC Championships 2026 at Queen’s Club in London produced a drama-packed Day 2 on Tuesday 16 June, as top seed Alex de Minaur came from behind to reach the second round, defending champion Tommy Paul continued his title defence, and British No.1 Cam Norrie fell to a sharp Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in one of the most one-sided scorelines of the opening rounds. Meanwhile, the women’s draw concluded its own memorable run with Croatia’s Donna Vekic crowned champion.
De Minaur Fights Back From The Brink
Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the top seed and pre-tournament favourite, made far harder work of his first-round match against Canada’s Gabriel Diallo than the 7-6(8), 6-3 scoreline suggests. The Australian found himself two breaks of serve down in the opening set and stared down two set points at 5-6 in the tie-break before rallying brilliantly to win it 10-8. De Minaur’s trademark speed and counter-punching then proved too much for Diallo in the second set, where he broke to lead and closed out the match in clinical fashion.
On Day 3 (Wednesday 17 June), de Minaur faces a stiff examination against 2022 US Open finalist Denis Shapovalov, who advanced after beating British wildcard Jack Pinnington Jones 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) in a tense three-setter. It promises to be one of the standout matches of the week.
Cam Norrie’s Shock Exit On Home Court
Cam Norrie’s bid to claim a maiden grass-court title at his home tournament came to an abrupt end on the Andy Murray Arena. The British No.1 was beaten 7-6(6), 6-2 by fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a match that was closer than the second-set scoreline implies. The Spaniard was ruthless on Norrie’s second serve — winning 61% of those points — and fired 36 winners on his way to upsetting the home favourite.
British interest was kept alive by wildcard Arthur Fery, who was outstanding in a 6-0, 6-2 demolition of fellow wildcard Toby Samuel. The young Brit hit 15 winners and dropped just nine points on serve in just over an hour of play. Fery next faces Adrian Mannarino after the experienced Frenchman produced one of the match of the tournament so far.
Mannarino Stuns Mensik In Comeback Classic
At 37, Adrian Mannarino is not done yet. The veteran Frenchman produced a stunning comeback against No.3 seed Jakub Mensik, winning 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(5) in what was arguably the match of the tournament to date. Mannarino squandered a 5-1 lead in the first set and then found himself 2-0 down in the second after losing eight games in succession. Yet he steadied, surged through the tie-break and ultimately sealed victory with a crisp cross-court volley that encapsulated his class — his 32nd winner of the afternoon.
Women’s Draw: Vekic Wins Title, Raducanu Reaches Final
The WTA 500 component of the HSBC Championships concluded on Sunday 14 June with Croatia’s Donna Vekic claiming the title. Emma Raducanu had a breakthrough run to the final — her best result on home soil in years — but couldn’t overcome a focused Vekic in the final. British pair Olivia Nicholls and Tereza Mihalíková won the women’s doubles title, adding to a week of British success at the venue.
Day 3 Preview: De Minaur Vs Shapovalov, Paul Vs Van De Zandschulp
Wednesday 17 June brings the second round into full swing. Beyond the de Minaur-Shapovalov clash, 2024 champion Tommy Paul — who advanced smoothly from his first-round match on Day 1 — faces 2022 Wimbledon quarter-finalist Botic van de Zandschulp, who got off to a winning start himself. Last year’s finalist Jiri Lehecka, who edged past Boss Open champion Kamil Majchrzak 7-5, 7-6(4), and seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo also come into Day 3 full of confidence.
The HSBC Championships 2026 is a key Wimbledon warmup for the world’s best grass-court players, with the Grand Slam at SW19 starting on Monday 29 June. For Singapore tennis fans eager to follow all the action, check out our Wimbledon 2026 preview or revisit our look at the HSBC Championships women’s invitational earlier this week. The ATP event is live on Tennis Channel, with highlights available on the LTA’s official platforms.
