American fifth seed Tommy Paul beat compatriot Sebastian Korda 6-4 7-6(2) in the semi-finals at the cinch Championships and on Sunday, will face Italian Lorenzo Musetti for the title on the grass court at Queen’s Club.
I am happy and I feel every time I step on grass I learn something and play a little better, I felt like I did a pretty good job today Tommy Paul
Paul becomes the first American finalist at Queen’s since an all-American final in 2010, when Sam Querrey beat Mardy Fish to lift the huge trophy. It will also be his sixth tour-level final and third of the season.
For the 27-year-old, who was the only seeded player in the semi-final lineup in the second Tour 500 final of his career and will contest the title match with 22-year-old Musetti who moved past Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-3 3-6 6-3.
“I am happy and I feel every time I step on grass I learn something and play a little better,” Paul said. “I felt like I did a pretty good job today.”
The world No.13, who triumphed in Dallas earlier this year, recovered from squandering a 5-2 lead in the second set to eventually seal his win in the second-set tie-break. With his victory, Paul avenged his quarter-final defeat to Korda in ‘s-Hertogenbosch last week.
Paul will leapfrog Taylor Fritz and become the new American No.1 if he captures his third ATP Tour trophy against Musetti.
Meanwhile Museetti became just the fifth Italian male to reach a grass-court tour-level final and he did so in some style, producing an impressive display in the third set to advance to his third tour-level final.
The Italian struck 14 winners and hit just four unforced errors in the decider and roared in delight after sealing victory on his first match point.
“It was one of the toughest matches of the week,” Musetti said. “Jordan was playing amazing, especially in the second and third sets. It was a really tough match. I am really proud of my achievement. I love this sport.”
Musetti, who reached the last eight in Stuttgart last week, has now made his first ATP Tour final on grass to complete the set of finals on all three surfaces.
He joins Matteo Berrettini, Andreas Seppi and Lorenzo Sonego as the only Italians to have achieved that distinction. He will now bid for the third title of his career.
“It would be super nice to win here in Queen’s with so much history,” Musetti, the world number 30, added.
“There are a lot of Italians here in London, I really feel like I’m at home.”
Lorenzo Musetti shows his delight at reaching the final
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
