Queen's ATP 500 draw: Carlos Alcaraz faces Francisco Cerundolo in tournament opener

Preparations for Wimbledon 2024 are officially underway, as the Queen’s ATP 500 draw has also been made. The tournament starts on Monday the 17th of June and will finish on the 23rd of June. Players worldwide will participate to prepare for the third Grand Slam of the year.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will again begin the competition as a firm favourite. In the round of 32, he will face Francisco Cerundolo. The 21-year-old hopes to continue his impressive form, especially after winning the French Open recently. He defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final in a five-set thriller with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Alcaraz won the competition last year after beating Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4. It will be a second meeting between the two. Interestingly, in the only previous meeting, it was Cerundolo who came out on top against the current world number two with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

Last year’s runner-up, De Minaur, will face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 32. It will be the second meeting between the two. In the previous meeting, which was in the first round of the Australian Open back in 2022, it was De Minaur who came out on top with a score of 3-6 6-3 6-0 6-3.

Former world number one Andy Murray has been drawn to face a player from the qualifiers. Britain’s tennis star will participate in the mega-event for the first time since 2021. He has a fabulous record in the tournament, winning it five times. The last of those victories came in 2016, when he defeated Canada’s Milos Raonic in the final with a score of 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.

America’s Ben Shelton will also face a player from the qualifying round in the round of 32 clash, whereas Denmark’s Holger Rune will face Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the tournament opener.