LONDON: American fifth seed Tommy Paul beat compatriot Sebastian Korda 6-4, 7-6(2) in the semi-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships on Saturday and will face Italian Lorenzo Musetti for the title.

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 trophy.

The 27-year-old, who was the only seeded player in the semi-final lineup, has reached the second ATP 500 final of his career.

“I am happy and I feel every time I step on grass I learn something and play a little better,” said Paul, 27, who is preparing for his third final of the season. “I felt like I did a pretty good job today.”

Paul recovered from letting slip a 5-2 lead in the second set to seal his win in a tie-break, avenging his quarter-final defeat to Korda in ‘s-Hertogenbosch last week.

Paul will face Musetti in the final after the Italian moved past Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 earlier on Saturday.

The Italian struck 14 winners and hit just four unforced errors in the decider, 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.”

Thompson, ranked 43rd, needed treatment for a back problem and had to battle from a set down to take the match to a decider.

Musetti grabbed the decisive break when the Australian’s volley landed just out, and held serve to love before collapsing in delight.

Musetti has reached 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 reach ATP Tour finals on clay, grass and hard courts.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2024