The conclusion of the French Open on Sunday marked the end of the second tennis Grand Slam of the year. Carlos Alcaraz took victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev, as the Spaniard claimed his 3rd Grand Slam. The next Grand Slam of the year, and perhaps the most famous, will be Wimbledon; where Alcaraz will look to defend his 2023 title. However, before that, the Cinch Championships will take place with some of the world’s best expected to attend as they make their final preparations for Wimbledon.
The Cinch Championships, or more commonly known as ‘The Queen’s Club Championships’, is one of the most famous events on the men’s ATP World Tour and is the longest running tournament on the circuit. The tournament takes place every year and is hosted at The Queen’s Club in West Kensington, London. The famous venue has played host to an array of different sports over the years including athletics, rugby, football and even staged the 1908 Olympics. Now predominantly a tennis venue, The Queen’s Club has hosted the championships since 1890.
Winners of the competition include Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal, and to win would put you amongst impressive company. Taking place from the 15th-23rd June, tennis fans can expect a stellar entry list with world renowned names expected to attend the West End venue. But who will add their name to the Roll of Honour this year?
Winner in 2023 and having recently won his 3rd Grand Slam, Carlos Alcaraz will be back to defend his title. The World Number 2 will be keen to defend his title in front of a British crowd as he will be looking to put himself in good stead for Wimbledon in a few weeks time. At only 21 years old, the Spaniard’s win at Roland Garros made him the youngest player to have won a Grand Slam on all three surfaces. Roland Garros was also his second tournament win of the year after victory at Indian Wells back in March defending his 2023 title. Alcaraz will be looking to bolster his confidence for the third Grand Slam of 2024.
Alcaraz will be challenged by Grigor Dimitrov, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur all of whom pose a real threat to the Spaniard’s title hopes. Dimitrov is World Number 10 and he will be hoping to cause an upset in London, while Taylor Fritz also looks to challenge. Alex de Minaur may be Alcaraz’s most dangerous opponent. The Australian has wins this year against Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andrey Rublev as well as both Fritz and Dimitrov. Keep an eye on the 25-year old to see if he can raise some eyebrows before Wimbledon.
In terms of the British contingent, Cam Norrie and Jack Draper are both set to take part. Norrie is yet to reach the heights of his 2022 season where he reached the Wimbledon semi-final and the World Top 10. Currently, ranked 39th in the world, can he turn his season around just in time?
Draper is ranked just one place behind Norrie at the moment in 40th place. The 22-year old made a name for himself at this competition in 2021, defeating Janik Sinner and reaching the quarter-finals before being defeated by Norrie.
Carlos Alcaraz is the favourite to defend his title at the Queen’s Club next week but could we see an underdog beat the Spaniard to the trophy? Tommy Paul could be an unlikely winner after claiming his second title at the 2024 Dallas Open as well as reaching the semi-finals in the Italian Open and the Masters 2024 BNP Paribas Open. Can the American cause an upset with only his third ever title?
Sebastian Korda could also spoil Alcaraz’s plans of a win. Korda was the 2023 semi-finalist and will be looking to make amends for his defeat last year. Korda won the men’s doubles title at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open with Jordan Thompson claiming his first ATP level doubles title, while also performing well at the Dubai Tennis Championships, knocked out by World Number 6, Andrey Rublev, in the quarter-finals. His confidence will be high when he travels to London this weekend.
A very strong entry list and one that could produce an unlikely winner, who do you think will be crowned champion? Can Alacaraz continue his impressive form and defend his title? It is an opportunity for players to give themselves confidence before Wimbledon next month and it is a great opportunity to see the world’s best in action. Want to watch your favourite players from the best seats in the house? Check out Engage’s range of hospitality options for tennis including the Queen’s Club Championships, Wimbledon and the Olympic Games!
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