Tommy Paul orchestrates grand victory at Queen's ATP for major leap

America’s tennis star Tommy Paul has achieved double milestones on Sunday with a win over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Paul reached the final after beating fellow American Sebastian Korda in the semifinal in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. On the other hand, his opponent Musetti defeated Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the last-four clash of the competition on Saturday, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

In what was the first-ever meeting between the two, the 27-year-old proved too strong for his opponent and clinched the Queen’s ATP Championship after securing a win in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 7-6. The American tennis star was more efficient in both sets. He converted three break points, which was two more than his opponent. He also produced 17 winners and won 71 per cent service points as well.

That victory for Paul means that he is the new number one American player in men’s tennis in the singles category. His rise in ATP rankings is down to his impressive form in the 2024 season. The New Jersey-born played in two finals this year before winning the Queen’s Championship, where he won once and suffered a defeat in the other contest.

Before Sunday, his only title this year was the Dallas Open, where he defeated Marcos Giron with a score of 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. In the final of the Delray Beach Open, Paul came second best, losing to fellow American Taylor Fritz with a score of 6-2, 6-3.

Other than that, Paul also played in the semifinal of the Indian Wells and the Rome Masters, and on both occasions, he was second-best. In the last-four clash, the New Jersey-born lost to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev with a score of 1-6, 7-6, 6-2. In the semifinal of the Rome Masters, Paul lost to Chile’s Nicolas Jarry with a score of 3-6, 7-6, 6-3.