Carlos Alcaraz Confirms Participation in Queen’s Club Tournament as Wimbledon Warm-Up
The HSBC Championships at the Queen’s Club in west London have received a significant boost with the confirmation of Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, as a participant in the upcoming tournament. According to a report by The New York Times, Athletic, Alcaraz has confirmed his intention to play at the event, which begins on Monday, June 16.
The news comes as a welcome relief for the tournament organisers, who had been facing doubts over Alcaraz’s participation following his epic five-hour and 29-minute French Open final win against Jannik Sinner last weekend. The young Spanish player’s decision to play at Queen’s is seen as a significant coup for the event, which had already lost several high-profile players, including last year’s finalists Tommy Paul and Lorenzo Musetti, as well as the 2022 champion Matteo Berrettini. As The New York Times, Athletic reports, Paul and Musetti picked up injuries at Roland Garros, while Berrettini has been sidelined with an ongoing abdominal issue.
Alcaraz’s decision to play at Queen’s is part of his preparation for Wimbledon, where he will be seeking to defend his title. The young Spaniard has a proven track record at the Queen’s Club, having won the tournament two years ago. He also lost to Britain’s Jack Draper in the second round last year, but went on to claim the Wimbledon title. As The New York Times, Athletic notes, Alcaraz will play compatriot Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina in the first round, while Draper faces Jenson Brooksby of the U.S.
The men’s event at Queen’s is one of the most high-profile Wimbledon warm-up events, with former champions including John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, and Rafael Nadal. This year, the tournament runs after the WTA Tour event, which is being held for the first time since 1973. Alcaraz’s participation in the event is seen as a significant boost for the tournament, which is looking to attract a strong field ahead of Wimbledon.
"I’m excited to be playing at Queen’s this year," Alcaraz said, as quoted by The New York Times, Athletic. "It’s an important part of my preparation for Wimbledon, and I’m looking forward to competing against some top players."
The confirmation of Alcaraz’s participation in the Queen’s Club tournament is a significant coup for the event, and is likely to attract a strong field of players ahead of Wimbledon. As The New York Times, Athletic reports, the tournament will feature a number of top players, including Alcaraz, who will be looking to fine-tune their game ahead of the grass-court Grand Slam. With Alcaraz on board, the Queen’s Club tournament is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Wimbledon warm-up events in recent years.
