Francisco Cerundolo etched his name into the history books at Queen’s Club on Saturday, becoming the first Argentine to win the HSBC Championships with a remarkable comeback victory over Tommy Paul. Trailing by a set and a break, the world No.27 battled through sweltering 30-degree London heat to claim a 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 victory — his fifth career title and his first at ATP 500 level.
A Final for the Ages
It was a day that had everything: drama, momentum shifts, and an emotional climax that brought Cerundolo to his knees on the grass. The match became the longest final in Queen’s Club history, surpassing the 2018 epic between Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic, as both players refused to yield in blistering conditions.
Paul, the former champion and one of the tour’s most dangerous grass-court players, seized the initiative early. His serve was immaculate, his forehand fizzing, and he took the first set in a tiebreak before breaking Cerundolo’s serve to lead 3-2 in the second. With Paul then reaching 15-40 on the Argentine’s serve at 4-4, a comfortable victory appeared to be within the American’s grasp.
But Cerundolo, showing the resilience that has defined his grass-court season, refused to wilt. He held, broke Paul on his next service game, and closed out the second set to level the match. From that moment, the momentum belonged entirely to the Argentine.
Nerves, Smashes and a Father’s Day Dedication
Cerundolo raced to 5-2 in the deciding set and should have wrapped up the title on Paul’s serve, but three match points came and went — the final one requiring a fortunate net cord from the American to prolong proceedings. Paul served to stay in the match, and for one tense moment, the momentum appeared to be shifting once more.
But Cerundolo held his nerve. On his fifth match point, he planted a crisp smash beyond Paul’s reach and collapsed to the floor in celebration, his face buried in the grass of Queen’s Club as the crowd roared its appreciation.
The victory carried special personal significance. Cerundolo’s parents had made the journey from Argentina — his father boarding a flight outside Argentina for the very first time — and were watching from the stands as he lifted the trophy. With Father’s Day being celebrated in Argentina on the same day, the occasion was particularly poignant.
“I felt incredible during this week, it really felt like home,” Cerundolo said in his post-match speech. “I want to thank my Mum and Dad, who just arrived for the last two games. It’s the first time my Dad has taken a flight to watch me outside of Argentina. It’s Father’s Day in Argentina so this is for you.”
A Historic Double — and a Wimbledon Warning
The Queen’s title also makes Cerundolo only the third man in history to hold both the Queen’s Club and Eastbourne titles simultaneously, joining Andy Roddick and Feliciano Lopez. Having won at Eastbourne in 2023, the Argentine has shown a genuine affinity with grass — a surface that does not always suit attacking clay-court players of his style.
The statistics from the final underlined his dominance once the match turned. His forehand quality rating reached 8.9 — well above the tour average of 7.4 — and from midway through the second set he was playing in attack on 27 per cent of points compared to Paul’s 18 per cent. His return quality of 8.2 also comfortably outstripped Paul’s 7.2.
For Paul, it was a fourth final of the 2026 season — a remarkable run of consistency — but also a fourth defeat. Only Jannik Sinner has reached more finals this year. “Today you were the better player, and I’m happy for you,” Paul said graciously. “It’s always so much fun coming back here.”
With Wimbledon 2026 just weeks away, Cerundolo will arrive at the All England Club as a genuine grass-court threat. His week at the HSBC Championships — five matches, five wins, dropping just one set en route to the final — suggests a player who has truly mastered the transition to grass. The draw at SW19 will watch his section with rather more caution now.
