Surprisingly, Tommy Paul and Lorenzo Musetti are the last two men left standing in what was a stacked draw at the Cinch Championships. One will win his first grass-court title on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps even more surprising is that they have never gone head-to-head in their entire careers.
Against all odds, their first-ever showdown will come with an ATP 500-point title on the line.
Paul’s presence in the Queen’s Club is by no means a complete shock. Whereas the majority of American men thrive primarily on hard courts, Paul is the essence of an all-court player. He loves both grass and clay, as well. That is a big reason why the 27-year-old is No. 13 in the world and will equal his career high of 12th if he triumphs on Sunday. Paul’s season record stands at 26-10 following victories this week over Sebastian Baez, Alejandro Tabilo, Jack Draper, and Sebastian Korda while dropping just one set to Draper along the way.
Whereas Paul is playing in his second grass-court final (runner-up last summer in Eastbourne), Musetti was a mere 6-7 lifetime on this surface heading into 2024 with no semifinal appearances. Out of basically nowhere, though, the 30th-ranked Italian reached the Stuttgart semifinals (lost to Matteo Berrettini) and now finds himself in the Queen’s Club championship match thanks to defeats of Alex de Minaur, Brandon Nakashima, Billy Harris, and Jordan Thompson. Musetti required three sets in three of his first four matches.
This should be an entertaining contest complete with impressive athleticism and great shot-making, but Paul has been the best player all week long and has a clear surface advantage.
Pick: Paul in 2