After a week of top-tier tennis on the prestigious grass of the Queen’s Club in London, we have our finalists for the 2026 edition! Unlike some other tournaments where we saw favorites fall early on, the seeded players in London mostly justified expectations and played at a high level, bringing us a fantastic final where Tommy Paul and Francisco Cerundolo will face off.
Here is an overview of the week’s most interesting moments, the only real upset, and the incredible drama in the semifinals.
πΎ Absolute dominance of Tommy Paul
If anyone deserves to lift the trophy for consistency, it’s the American tennis player Tommy Paul. His path to the final was flawless β he hasn’t dropped a single set leading up to the title match!
He lined up opponents one after another: in the first round, Svajda fell (7-5, 6-3), then Botic Van De Zandschulp (7-6, 6-3), and in the quarterfinals, he routinely handled Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (6-3, 7-6). The crown of his London campaign so far was a brilliant semifinal where he outclassed Ugo Humbert with a score of 6-3, 6-3, showing he feels right at home on the grass.
π The tournament’s upset: The fall of De Minaur
Although the favorites were safe, the quarterfinals brought one major shock. Alex de Minaur, who was expected to easily reach the final stages, was unexpectedly stopped. His executioner was the highly motivated American Brandon Nakashima, who played a flawless match and won in straight sets β 7-5, 6-3. Nakashima had previously eliminated Fucsovics and Buse, signaling that he was in terrifying form.
π Cerundolo’s epic comeback in the semifinals
The biggest drama of the entire tournament was seen exactly in the semifinal clash between Brandon Nakashima and Francisco Cerundolo.
Nakashima entered the match riding the momentum of his victory over De Minaur. He won the first set in a tight tiebreak (7-6) and immediately got a break advantage in the second set. It seemed the American had already booked his ticket to the final and the match was practically over. However, that’s when the incredible mental strength of the Argentine tennis player came into play. Cerundolo refused to give up, shifted into a higher gear, broke back, and completely reversed the momentum of the match. In the end, he triumphed with a score of 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, achieving one of the best comebacks of the season.
π Final Preview: Paul vs. Cerundolo
A true clash of styles awaits us in the grand final.
- Tommy Paul enters the match completely fresh, full of confidence, carried by the fact that he hasn’t dropped a single set to his opponents throughout the entire tournament. His aggressive game and great movement on grass make him a slight favorite.
- Francisco Cerundolo, on the other hand, enters the final as a player who has shown that you can never write him off. His path was significantly harder (he played three sets against Kovacevic and Fery, plus the thriller with Nakashima), but the energy and adrenaline following the epic semifinal could be his strongest weapon.
To view the complete tournament bracket, visit our main text: ATP London 2026: Complete Guide, Draw, Favourites, and Tactical Analysis!
