The finalists for the ATP 500 Queen’s Club Championships
have been decided, with
Lorenzo Musetti and
Tommy Paul set to compete for the
title this Sunday, June 23. Musetti had to battle through three sets to
overcome
Jordan Thompson 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, while Paul displayed superior form to
defeat
Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(2).
Musetti shows grit against Thompson
Lorenzo Musetti has had a fruitful second week in the
grass-swing, reaching the semifinals at the ATP 250 Stuttgart Open and now
making his third appearance in an ATP final, aiming for his first grass-court
title. Musetti has recorded 7 wins and only one loss on the surface this year.
The match against Thompson started well for Musetti, who
secured an early break to lead 3-0 within minutes. Both players faced several
break points throughout the set, but the single break was enough for Musetti to
take it 6-3.
However, the second set turned into a nightmare for Musetti
as he lost his serve twice in a row, allowing Thompson to take a 5-0 lead.
Although the Australian struggled to close out the set, he eventually did so
with a score of 6-3.
The third set remained tight until the 8th game when Musetti
managed to break Thompson’s serve. He then served out the match to win 6-3,
3-6, 6-3.
Paul overpowers Korda
Tommy Paul reached his sixth career final after overcoming
Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(2). This is Paul’s second grass-court final, having
been the runner-up at the 2023 Eastbourne International.
The match tilted in Paul's favor from the start, as he broke
Korda’s serve in the opening game and quickly took a 3-0 lead. Although Korda
managed to break back in the 7th game, Paul secured the decisive break in the
10th game to take the set 6-4.
Tommy Paul at the Rome Open.
Korda struggled with his first serve, landing only 52%
compared to Paul’s 69%. The 5th seed tallied 8 winners and 3 unforced errors,
while Korda managed 6 winners and 8 unforced errors throughout the set.
Paul maintained his momentum in the second set, breaking
Korda's serve early to lead 3-0, thanks to his nearly impeccable serving.
Although he was up 5-2, Korda fought back to level the set, pushing it to a
tie-break. Paul’s experience shone through as he clinched the tie-break 7-1,
sealing the match 6-3, 7-6(1).