By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, June 23, 2019
World No. 113 Feliciano Lopez out-dueled Gilles Simon, 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-6(2) claiming his second Queen's Club title in the last three years.
Photo credit: Fever-Tree Championships
Lunging left, a full-stretch Feliciano Lopez stabbed a reflex drop volley that dabbed the lawn like a splotch of yellow paint on a green canvas.
The wild card erupted in a primal scream celebrating brilliance in the decisive tie break.
More: Federer Flies to 10th Halle Title
Fine brush strokes, fitness and a fierce will carried the 113th-ranked Lopez to his second Queen's Club crown in the last three years with a masterful 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) victory over Gilles Simon.
It was a wild and historic run for Lopez, the first wild card to rule Queen's Club since Hall of Famer Pete Sampras in 1999, who spent nearly five hours on court scoring three victories yesterday.
The third wild card in tournament history to lift the iconic singles title trophy will take a brief break then return to the court partnering Andy Murray in the doubles final.
“I thought the best moment of my career was when I won this tournament in 2017, but it’s right now,” said Lopez, who joins Sampras and 1989 champ Ivan Lendl as the third wild-card winner. “He was coming up with unbelievable passing shots and I was a little bit desperate, to be honest.
"The tie-break is a bit of a lottery, of course, but I’m just so happy to win here.”
Asked by Sue Barker if he'd have enough energy for doubles, a smiling Lopez replied "not really" but vowed to keep this magical run moving forward while advising fans to go out and "have a Pimms" and return for the doubles finale.
"I don't know I'm gonna speak to Andy now," Lopez said. "I think he's gonna be responsible today. I don't have so many energy in my body, but my adrenaline is so high right now."
It is Lopez's seventh career title with four coming on lawn where his serve-and-volley game robs reaction time from opponents.
This final Sunday in London capped a day for the ages.
The 37-year-old Lopez collected his second Queen's Club title shortly after 37-year-old Roger Federer defeated David Goffin for his record-setting 10th Halle title becoming the oldest ATP champion since a 43-year-old Ken Rosewall won the 1977 Hong Kong championship.
The left-handed Lopez's slider serve and commitment to attacking at crunch time were key for the oldest man to advance so far at Queen's since a 44-year-old Pancho Gonzalez made the final four in 1972.
Lopez smacked 16 aces and saved six of seven break points in a pulsating two-hour, 49-minute victory. It was Lopez's fourth match in less than 24 hours.
The 2014 Queen's Club finalist worked overtime Saturday starting with a singles semifinal conquest of 18-year-old Stuttgart finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime before the Spaniard and Murray wrapped up a doubles quarterfinal and then, after a brief break, won an epic doubles semifinal with Murray.
The agility and resilience of both singles finalists was impressive.
Bidding for his first grass-court title, Simon played his third, third-set tie breaker of this week before bowing.
Simon rallied from a one-set, 2-4 deficit in the second-set tie breaker to take Lopez to the limit today.
Dueling in a 33-shot baseline exchange, Lopez drew the error from the Frenchman earning a 3-1 second-set tie break lead as both men looked a little winded. Simon responded slicing an ace with a shout. Lopez lashed his 11th ace down the middle for 4-2.
Undaunted, Simon stuck with a funky bad bounce to extend the point then pushed a pass down the line for 5-4. Confined to the baseline where he didn't want to be, Lopez lined a forehand into net. Simon's fourth straight point earned him double set point.
The slender Simon needed only one knifing a low return the net-rushing Spaniard could not handle to take the tie breaker and force a final set.
Tension tightened at the start of the decider. Simon stared down triple break point storming back to save all three and then a fourth break point to level, 1-1.
Fans rose saluting both players with an ovation before Simon stepped up to serve at 5-6.
The serve-and-volleyer showed fine defensive skills drawing a netted response from the flat-hitting Frenchman to move to within two points of the title at 30-all. Simon stayed calm driving Lopez backward behind the baseline and zipping a clean forehand.
The world No. 38 couldn't convert three game points and fell into a fourth deuce.
Reading a short serve, Lopez stepped in and laced a forehand return winner for championship point. A nervy second serve sat up, Lopez lined up the forehand he wanted but slapped it into net as Simon dodged championship point exhaling in relief.
Simon stood tall through a tough 12-minute hold to force a tie break for the title.
The net favored Lopez as his drop volley kissed the top of the tape plopping over to open the breaker.
Two hours, 47 minutes into this tight test, Simon blinked and slapped his first double fault of the day into net giving Lopez the mini break, a 4-2 lead and a shot of energy.
Following a slice backhand forward, Lopez dabbed a drop volley and screamed in celebration. The slider serve wide gave him four more championship points.
Fittingly, Lopez ended it at net and dedicated the title to his supporters, including his fiancee, who shed tears of joy.
"When we met, things weren't going too well and I kept losing," Lopez said during the trophy presentation. "Now she can see I'm a decent tennis player. I'm so happy for you. We can share this together."