A thrilling week at the ATP Queen’s Club Championships sees two players in scintillating form facing off. Matteo Berrettini has stormed his through the draw, not dropping a single set. Cameron Norrie, who has a very different playstyle to the Italian, has also been in excellent form all week. The final promises to be a spectacular occasion, and we will be making our prediction on who will be lifting the trophy on Sunday.
ATP Queen’s Club Championships Final Prediction
Matteo Berrettini vs Cameron Norrie
Head-to-head: first meeting
Matteo Berrettini’s tennis has not only impressed everyone this week, he’s also won the hearts of many fans in London. The 6ft5 Italian plays some of the most brutal and destructive tennis you’ll see on a court, but there is a gentle aura around him that balances this. This week, he has delighted the crowds and the pundits with his elegant play and personable interviews. His increasing popularity could well see him being a fan favourite at Wimbledon, which will be a huge boost for him.
Berrettini’s tennis has been pretty spectacular this week. We already knew he was a force on the grass, and his debut at Queen’s has really enforced this. His serve is an absolute bullet and his crushing forehand backs this up excellently. However, this is isn’t all there is to his game. He’s played some really patient and intelligent tennis this week, which we didn’t see as much of two years ago. His backhand is improving, and he’s been utilising the slice off this wing to great effect. His net play goes un-talked about somewhat, but he’s been rock solid in this department also. As has been said all week, he’s a real contender for the Wimbledon title.
Cameron Norrie won’t be handing over the title by any means. The Brit has had a sensational season so far, and every match he plays he looks tougher and tougher to beat. His defence is the best it’s ever been, and his ability to force himself onto the front foot in rallies is exceptional. In the semifinals he faced Denis Shapovalov, the second seed who had finished his quarterfinal against Frances Tiafoe earlier in the day. Norrie was down a break in the first set, but recovered quickly and took the set 7-5 before winning the second in convincing fashion 6-3.
Norrie lost the first set in his opening match with Albert Ramos Vinolas, but hasn’t dropped one since. He’s racking up a high number of match wins this season, and is a strong candidate for the most improved player on the men’s tour right now. It won’t be long before he’s inside the top 30. He now faces his toughest task of the week in Berrettini, and it promises to be a fierce encounter. Getting on the front foot in the rallies will be vital for both players. Norrie more so perhaps, so he can try and shut down Berrettini’s weapons.
Berrettini lost his serve against Stefano Travaglia in the first round, but hasn’t been broken since. This utter dominance on serve will no doubt continue into the final, but Norrie’s return game is looking very good. He broke big servers Jack Draper and Denis Shapovalov multiple times, which is no mean feat. Berrettini will be a big step up due to his unrelenting power and consistency, so it will be interesting to see if he can take any chances that may come his way.
With the way Norrie is playing, this looks to be Berrettini’s toughest match of the week. He’s had some great opponents, such as Alex De Minaur in the semifinals who threw everything at him, but he saw these challenges through strongly. Norrie’s focus and concentration has been superb so far, and this will help him in the tight moments here. Tiebreaks are very likely, and both players are playing the big points well.
This may just be the match where Berrettini loses a set. Can Norrie do enough to win the whole match and take the tournament? That remains to be seen. It’s still a monumental task to play such a powerful and skilled player on grass, and the Italian is going in as the favourite. The home crowd may be fairly pretty neutral as well, considering the love they’ve showed for the Italian this week. Expect a thrilling encounter here, with Berrettini lifting the title in the end.
Prediction: Berrettini in 3
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