London [UK], June 16 (ANI): London [UK], June 16 (ANI): The grass-court season continues with the ATP 500 event Cinch Championships. In the event, many of the sport’s biggest stars, including World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and Andy Murray will be in action in a loaded draw full of top doubles teams and singles stars, the tournament organizers announced the draw list on their website.
Murray will partner with Daniel Evans for the second time this year after competing at the French Open. The duo will lock horns with fourth seeds and defending champions Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek in the first round.
The former World No. 1 Murray holds the record with five Queen’s Club titles. The last time the Scot claimed the crown in singles was in 2016. He opens his tournament against a qualifier.
The World No. 2 Alcaraz will head into the tournament as defending champion at the Queen’s Club, but also a Wimbledon titlist. The Spaniard carries a 12-match grass-court triumphing streak into London’s ATP 500 event and will try to keep the momentum from his victory at the French Open 2024.
Alex de Minaur, who is currently in great form and might move up to sixth place if he wins on Sunday in’s-Hertogenbosch, has never participated in the ATP Finals. The Australian will attempt to keep up his form at Queen’s Club and is expected to make his debut in this year’s season finale. The defending champion, who is ranked second in this edition, will take against Lorenzo Musetti in a challenging opening match.
Six Americans remain in the main draw with qualifying having to be finished: Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda, Frances Tiafoe, and Brandon Nakashima. Shelton, Fritz, and Paul have the fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds, respectively. By making it to the’s-Hertogenbosch final, which is set for this Sunday, Korda has demonstrated strong form, while Nakashima, who started the season ranked No. 134 is up to No. 63 in the ATP Live Rankings.
Meanwhile, Queen’s Club is home to twelve of the top 35 players in the PIF ATP Rankings. All but one of the first-round matches pits doubles players against singles players. One singles tandem matchup features the ninth seeds and Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Cerundolo are portrayed by Taylor Fritz and Karen Khachanov.
Second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury play Alex de Minaur and Sebastian Korda, who will face each other in Sunday’s ‘s-Hertogenbosch singles final. Top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden open against qualifiers.
The current Roland Garros champions, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, ranked third, will face American players Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul. (ANI)
