Carlos Alcaraz and Tommy Paul are on a collision course for the quarterfinals at the top of the Queen’s Club draw. Standing in their ways on Thursday is Stuttgart champion Jack Draper and Rome semifinalist Alejandro Tabilo, respectively.
(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jack Draper
Alcaraz and Draper will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Cinch Championships on Thursday. Both of their previous meetings have gone Alcaraz’s way; 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 on the indoor hard courts of Basel in 2022 and via retirement while leading by a set and a break at the 2023 Indian Wells Masters.
This is an absolute blockbuster matchup between two players who are coming off titles. Alcaraz won the French Open and extended his winning streak to eight matches with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Francisco Cerundolo on Tuesday. Draper is off to a 6-0 start on grass, having triumphed in Stuttgart this past weekend before beating Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-2 in his Queen’s Club opener. The 31st-ranked Brit is extremely dangerous on this surface–especially at home. However, Draper played a lot of tennis last week (a trio of three-setters en route to the title) and Alcaraz is the defending champion of this event (and of Wimbledon) so the Spaniard also feels right at home.
Pick: Alcaraz in 3
Alejandro Tabilo vs. (5) Tommy Paul
Paul should own a considerable advantage in terms of the surface when he faces Tabilo for the first time in his career. Although the 13th-ranked American is by no means a grass-court specialist, he finished runner-up in Eastbourne last summer and he has reached the third round and fourth round of the last two Wimbledon editions. Paul kicked off his Queen’s Club campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Sebastian Baez, improving to 23-10 for the season.
Tabilo is also playing the best tennis of his life in 2024, highlighted by a title in Auckland and a semifinal run in Rome. The 24th-ranked Chilean did well to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-1 in the Queen’s club first round, but he is just 6-8 lifetime on grass. Count on Paul punching his ticket to the quarters.
Pick: Paul in 2