Throughout his time at the Queen’s Club, Francisco Cerúndolo had a surprising presence in his player’s box: the iconic No 10 jersey of Diego Maradona. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Hand of God, Cerúndolo played with heavenly skill to secure the most significant title of his career.
After battling through an intense match against American Tommy Paul, winning 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 in a historic three hours and two minutes, Cerúndolo revealed that one of his greatest inspirations was his father, Alejandro, who traveled to London specifically to watch him compete.
“It is the first time my dad takes a flight and it’s the first time he has watched me outside Argentina,” he said. “I want to congratulate my dad for taking a plane. It’s Father’s Day, so this is for him.”
In a match filled with challenges, Cerúndolo found himself down a set and a break against Paul. Nevertheless, he staged a remarkable comeback, ultimately breaking the record for the longest Queen’s Club final, surpassing the previous mark of two hours and 57 minutes set by Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic in 2018.
“We always seem to have unreal matches and today you were the better player.” Cerúndolo admitted during his victory speech, having clinched the title on his sixth match point. One can only imagine the pressure he felt had he let such a significant opportunity slip away.
Now, at 27, Cerúndolo is rightfully eyeing a deeper run at Wimbledon. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined due to injury, Novak Djokovic at 39, and the reigning French Open champion, Alexander Zverev, yet to win on grass, the tournament landscape seems promising for him.
While Jannik Sinner remains the overwhelming favorite, the persistent heatwave in London could change the dynamics of the competition. Cerúndolo’s powerful forehand, which contributed to 27 of his winners, is certainly a weapon to watch.
The final proved to be a thrilling contest, characterized by unexpected turns from the outset. Paul entered the match having not lost a set, yet he began erratically, allowing Cerúndolo an early break. The Argentinian displayed exquisite tennis until he was unexpectedly broken at 5-4 in the first set.
After losing the first-set tie-break, Cerúndolo faced another setback when Paul broke to lead 3-2 in the second, prompting the engraver for the Queen’s Club trophy to be on standby. However, Paul faltered, dropping serve twice in quick succession, leveling the match at one set apiece.
As temperatures soared to 29.5C on court, the quality of play escalated. At 3-2, Cerúndolo secured a crucial break, putting him just two games away from victory. Yet, further drama ensued as he saved two break points in the following game before extending his lead to 5-2. After five match points slipped by, he finally closed the match with an emphatic overhead smash.
In gracious defeat, Paul acknowledged his opponent’s skill, stating, “We always seem to have unreal matches and today you were the better player.”
That sentiment rang true. On this day, the final was defined not by the Hand of God, but by Francisco Cerúndolo’s formidable forehand.
