Tennis

Lorenzo Musetti, the 30th-ranked Italian, has reached the final of the grass-court Queen's Club Championships after a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Jordan Thompson on Saturday. Musetti, who has won both of his previous two tour-level finals, will face Tommy Paul for the title.Musetti, who has never reached a final on grass before, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to win at Queen's Club. "It would be super nice to win here in Queen's with so much history," he said. "There are a lot of Italians here in London, I really feel like I'm at home."Earlier in the day, 13th-ranked Paul advanced to the final after defeating fellow American Sebastian Korda 6-4, 7-6 (2) in an all-American semifinal. Korda suffered an ankle injury in a fall towards the end of the first set, which was treated at the changeover.The final between Musetti and Paul promises to be a thrilling encounter. Musetti, with his powerful groundstrokes and impressive net play, will be looking to continue his winning streak in finals. Paul, on the other hand, will be aiming to win his first ATP Tour title and cement his status as one of the rising stars of the game.

The United Kingdom's tax system has become a major deterrent for top tennis players, leading to a significant decline in their participation in British grass-court warm-up events ahead of Wimbledon.The UK's unique tax regime requires international athletes to pay taxes not only on income earned within the country but also on income from outside the country, including image rights, sponsorship deals, and brand endorsements. This has made it financially unviable for many high-profile players to compete in the UK, as they face astronomical tax bills.The cinch Championships at Queen's Club, once a prestigious tournament, has been particularly affected by this trend. Despite being just a short drive from Wimbledon, the ATP 500-level event featured only two Top 10 representatives in 2023, while the entry list at Halle in Germany boasted six Top 10 players.Rafael Nadal, a former Queen's Club champion, was one of the first players to raise concerns about the UK's tax system in 2011. He explained that he was losing money by playing in the UK due to the high taxes on his endorsement income.The situation has only worsened in recent years as endorsement deals have become more lucrative and players have more options to avoid playing in the UK. The Forbes Top 10 list has become a reliable predictor of a player's participation at Queen's Club, with no player featuring in the top 10 since Andre Agassi in 2003.The exodus of top players from British grass-court events has raised concerns about the status and growth of these tournaments. Roger Draper, the former LTA chief executive, warned in 2012 that the UK's tax rules posed a serious risk to the future of major sporting events in the country.Despite these warnings, the UK government has not taken any significant steps to address the issue. As a result, international tennis stars continue to vote with their feet and prepare for Wimbledon far from British soil.

Milos Raonic, the former Wimbledon finalist, made a resounding statement at the Queen's Club on Monday, saving two match points to secure a thrilling first-round victory over home favorite Cameron Norrie. The towering Canadian also etched his name into tennis history by firing a record-breaking 47 aces during his three-set comeback.Raonic's serve proved to be an unstoppable force against Norrie, the British No. 2. He unleashed 18 aces in the final set alone, including a blistering 232 kph (144 mph) rocket during the deciding tiebreak to seal the match."With the scoreline and having to save match points, I probably needed every single one of those!" Raonic exclaimed after the match. "This small record, it's something special, something meaningful. I'm glad that (it) also stands behind a win, because maybe I'd feel differently or maybe a bit more sour if I was to get that many free points and lose the match."Raonic's record-breaking performance surpassed the previous mark of 45 aces set by Ivo Karlovic in 2014. The Croatian had equaled his own record a year later in Halle.Raonic's new world record falls short of the all-time men's record for most aces in a match, which stands at 113 by John Isner in his epic 2010 Wimbledon victory over Nicolas Mahut. That match famously lasted over three days and ended with a marathon 70-68 scoreline in the fifth set.Despite his impressive serve, Raonic has faced numerous injury setbacks throughout his career. He has undergone multiple surgeries for hip, feet, and wrist injuries, as well as a torn Achilles and a broken toe. This year, he withdrew from Indian Wells due to injury and retired against Alex de Minaur at the Australian Open.Currently ranked No. 186 but once as high as world No. 3, Raonic is finding his form on grass-courts, the surface where he achieved his greatest success. He reached the 2016 Wimbledon final and the Queen's Club final that same year.Last week, Raonic reached the quarterfinals in 's-Hertogenbosch, including a win over No. 8 seed Jordan Thompson. He followed that up with his victory over Norrie in London.Raonic will now face the winner of the match between No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz and Taro Daniel, who will face off on Tuesday.

Grass Court Season Heats Up with Wimbledon Tune-Up TournamentsAs the tennis world shifts from the clay of Roland Garros to the lush lawns of Wimbledon, the grass court season is reaching its peak with four key tournaments taking center stage.Halle and Queen's Club: Men's Contenders EmergeOn the men's side, the Terra Wortman Open in Halle and the Cinch Championships at Queen's Club are attracting top talent. Halle boasts a star-studded field led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who will face a tough opener against Tallon Griekspoor. Other contenders include Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev.At Queen's Club, reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed and will aim to repeat his 2022 triumph. He faces a potential challenge from Francisco Cerundolo, Jack Draper, and Tommy Paul. Alex de Minaur, Holger Rune, and Andy Murray are also in the draw.Berlin and Birmingham: Women's Stars ShineThe women's circuit features the Ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin and the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham. Berlin boasts a strong lineup including Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Naomi Osaka, who will face Zheng Qinwen in a rematch of their Rome encounter. Other contenders include Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Ons Jabeur.Birmingham, a WTA 250 event, features Jelena Ostapenko as the top seed. Barbora Krejcikova, Sorana Cirstea, and Katie Boulter are also in the draw. Former Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova will be looking to make a strong showing after reaching the final in Nottingham.Wimbledon Preparations IntensifyThese tournaments provide crucial preparation for Wimbledon, which begins on June 26th. Players will be fine-tuning their grass court skills and building momentum ahead of the prestigious Grand Slam. The results from Halle, Queen's Club, Berlin, and Birmingham will offer valuable insights into the form and potential contenders for Wimbledon glory.

Queen's Club to Host Women's Tennis Tournament in 2025The prestigious Queen's Club in London will make history in 2025 by hosting a women's tennis tournament for the first time in over 50 years. The WTA event will be held the week after the French Open, marking the start of the grass-court season and serving as a warm-up for Wimbledon.However, the decision has raised concerns among male players, who fear that the quality of the grass at Queen's Club could be compromised by a women's tournament being played first. Chris Pollard, director of major events and digital at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), acknowledged these concerns and stated that the arrangement may only be for one year."We have absolute confidence that we can stage a two-week event at the Queen's Club," Pollard said. "We've got independent data that provides evidence that the men's week will not suffer in any way."Pollard emphasized that the LTA has had extensive discussions with both the ATP and WTA Tours regarding the matter. The ATP has given the green light for the tournament to take place in 2025, but the LTA remains in ongoing dialogue with the tour about the long-term future of the event."The ATP would like to consider what happens after 2025," Pollard said. "But we remain very confident that it will be a permanent change."The addition of a women's tournament at Queen's Club will have a significant impact on the WTA grass-court calendar. The tournaments in Birmingham and Eastbourne, both in England, will be reduced in status to accommodate the new event.