Quarterfinal spots at Queen’s Club will start being handed out on Wednesday, when Grigor Dimitrov and Andy Murray are back in action. Dimitrov faces Sebastian Korda, while Murray is going up against Jordan Thompson.
(3) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Sebastian Korda
Neither Dimitrov nor Korda had an easy first-round draw and things only get tougher when they have to go head-to-head during second-round action on Wednesday. Both guys have to be considered realistic title contenders given their current form and acumen on grass. Dimitrov improved to 29-9 this season with a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Adrian Mannarino on Monday; Korda is coming off a runner-up performance in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and he battled past Karen Khachanov 7-5, 7-6(5) on Tuesday.
They have split their two previous encounters; Korda scored a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory at the 2022 Washington, D.C. event before Dimitrov prevailed 6-1, 7-6(5) earlier this year on the indoor hard courts of Marseille. It is also worth noting that the 10th-ranked Bulgarian lifted the Queen’s Club trophy in his last appearance–albeit 10 years ago. Dimitrov, who has been incredibly consistent in 2024, may have the upper hand in what should be a fantastic grass-court contest.
Pick: Dimitrov in 3
Jordan Thompson vs. (WC) Andy Murray
Murray picked up a nice 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Alexei Popyrin in the first round on Tuesday and now the draw has opened up for him, as Holger Rune lost to Thompson on Monday. That result is part of a seed exodus from the bottom half of the Queen’s Club bracket; Alex de Minaur and Ben Shelton also bowed out in round one. That’s not to say Thompson isn’t a formidable opponent. The 30-year-old Australian has won 17 main-tour matches in 2024 and comes in at No. 43 in the rankings.
This is Murray’s final appearance at Queen’s Club, as he is set to retire later this summer at either Wimbledon or the Olympics. The 37-year-old Scot is the all-time leader in title at this prestigious event with five. Although a sixth triumph is unlikely at best, Murray proved with his performance against Popyrin that despite being way past his prime he is still an effective player–especially on this surface. Look for the former world No. 1, who beat Thompson on grass last summer at the Surbiton Challenger, to keep his run going in front of the home crowd.
Pick: Murray in 3