Francisco Cerúndolo Wins Queen’s Club, Reclaims Joy in Tennis After Roland Garros Collapse
Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Alex Molčan 6–4, 6–4 in the Queen’s Club Championships final on Sunday, ending a 10-month winless streak and signaling a renewed passion for the sport after a mental and emotional breakdown following his French Open semifinal exit.
The 23-year-old Argentine, ranked No. 27 in the world, had been struggling with motivation and self-doubt since his controversial loss to Novak Djokovic in Paris, where he accused officials of bias after a disputed line call. His victory in London—his first ATP title since 2022—marks a turning point in a career that has oscillated between brilliance and frustration.
From Roland Garros Heartbreak to Queen’s Redemption
Cerúndolo’s path to the Queen’s final was far from smooth. After reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2023, he lost in straight sets to Djokovic in a match that left him disillusioned with both tennis and life. “I was fighting with tennis, with life,” he told reporters in May. “I wasn’t enjoying being on the court. And I think that’s part of professional sports—it’s not just me.”
His struggles extended into 2024, where he failed to defend his ATP Masters 1000 points and entered Queen’s ranked outside the top 30. But in London, he played with a freedom he hadn’t shown in months. Against Molčan, the 23rd-seeded Slovak, Cerúndolo moved with agility, mixing precision groundstrokes with creative net play—a hallmark of his 2022 Australian Open semifinal run.
Key stat: Cerúndolo won 68% of his first-serve points in the final, a career-high for him in ATP finals. His 69% return rate also outpaced Molčan’s 58%, according to ATP Tour match stats.
How Cerúndolo Rebuilt His Mental Game
Cerúndolo’s turnaround began with a shift in mindset. Unlike his 2023 season, where he often appeared distracted, he arrived in London with a clear focus: “I wanted to play with no pressure, just enjoy the moment,” he said in a post-match press conference. His coach, Sebastián Prieto, confirmed the change, telling Tennis World USA that the team had worked on “resetting expectations” rather than chasing titles.
One tactical adjustment was his serve-and-volley approach, which he had largely abandoned in 2023. Against Molčan, he stepped in 12 times in the final, converting 6 of those opportunities into winners—a strategy that had worked in his 2022 Australian Open run. “I felt like I was playing for myself again,” Cerúndolo said. “That’s what I love about tennis.”
Comparison: In 2022, Cerúndolo reached the Australian Open semifinals (losing to Rafael Nadal) and won his first ATP title in Córdoba. His serve-and-volley game accounted for 30% of his winners that year, compared to just 12% in 2023, per Related reading
