Francisco Cerúndolo's Dad Conquered A Lifelong Fear, And It Fuelled The Longest Queen's Final Ever
Alright, Seattle, listen up! You gotta hear what went down at the Queen's Club final. Seriously, this wasn't just any tennis match, this was an epic! Francisco Cerúndolo, who might not be a household name yet, just pulled off the biggest win of his career against American Tommy Paul, taking it 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3. But get this, that three-setter wasn't just a battle, it was the LONGEST Queen's Club final ever, clocking in at a ridiculous three hours and two minutes! And the wildest part? His dad, who literally hated flying, flew halfway across the world to see it. Talk about high stakes!
The Marathon Man's Grind Was Absolute Fire
Man, Cerúndolo had to do it the hardest way possible. He was down a set and a break, staring down the barrel, but he refused to quit. This match shattered the Queen's Club final record of two hours and 57 minutes, set by Marian Cilic and Novak Djokovic in 2018. Paul, credit where it's due, hadn't dropped a single set all week. But then the final started, and Paul started swinging wild, giving Cerúndolo an immediate break. Cerúndolo played some sublime tennis, but Paul broke him to love at 5-4 in the first set. He snatched that tie-break too, and when Paul broke again to go up 3-2 in the second, the trophy engraver was probably prepping for Paul's name. Then, Paul dropped his serve twice, quick as a wink, and just like that, it was one set all. Mercury on court hit a scorching 29.5C, and the quality of play kept rising with the temp.
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Dad's Epic Journey And Why Wimbledon Should Be On Notice
Here's where it gets real, though. Cerúndolo said he was inspired by his dad, Alejandro. This dude HATED planes, stopping travel when Francisco was born. Imagine that! He only started therapy last year to conquer that fear, and just last week, he was talking about London's grass season, a place he always loved but never visited. Francisco and his siblings said, "We'll believe it when you're on the plane." Guess what? He got on the plane! He landed in London around 2:30 pm, and Cerúndolo knew if the match was short, his dad wouldn't make it. But if it was long... well, you know the rest. All week, Cerúndolo had a Maradona Argentina jersey in his box. On the eve of the "Hand of God" anniversary, it felt like the stars aligned. He sealed the deal on his sixth match point, letting out a raw "It's not easy to speak" during his victory speech. Now, the 27-year-old can dream big for Wimbledon. Think about it: Carlos Alcaraz is injured, Novak Djokovic is 39, and Alexander Zverev, the French Open champ, has never won on grass. Yeah, Jannik Sinner is the prohibitive favorite. But with Cerúndolo's forehand firing, responsible for 27 winners, and if this London heat dome sticks around, all bets could be off.
What a compelling final, right? It just kept zigging when you thought it would zag. Even Paul knew what was up, telling Cerúndolo, "We always seem to have unreal matches and today you were the better player." No arguments there! This was all about Francisco's forehand and a dad's incredible journey. Can Cerúndolo carry this insane momentum and belief into Wimbledon? We'll be watching, Seattle! This guy is playing with pure heart. Let's see what happens next!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.