The biggest grass-court week on the pre-Wimbledon schedule is upon us, as Halle and Queen’s Club take center stage. As usual, both fields are stacked. Among the players in action are Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Andrey Rublev, and Joao Fonseca.
Terra Wortmann Open
Where: Halle, Germany
Surface: Grass
Prize money: 2,522,220 Euros
Points: 500
Top seed: Jannik Sinner
Defending champion: Jannik Sinner
Draw analysis: Last year in Halle, Sinner made his debut appearance as the No. 1 player in the world. He promptly took the title. Fast forward 12 months and he is once again the top-ranked player and top seed, but this time the big story focuses on how he will bounce back from a crushing loss to Alcaraz in the French Open final. The Italian will have to be mentally locked in early and often this week, as he could face former champion Alexander Bublik in round two and 2024 runner-up Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals. Also in the top half of a stacked draw are Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Felix Auger-Aliassime and ‘s-Hertogenbosch finalist Zizou Bergs.
At the bottom of the bracket, Zverev is bidding for his second title of 2025 and second at home in Germany (previously in Munich). The world No. 3 had a chance to accomplish that feat on Sunday but lost the Stuttgart final to Fritz. Zverev’s Halle section includes a couple of blockbuster first-round battles: Fonseca vs. Flavio Cobolli and Ugo Humbert vs. Denis Shapovalov. The second seed could run into one of those guys in the last eight. Medvedev’s quarter includes some dangerous unseeded floaters in the form of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex Michelsen.
Hot: Jannik Sinner, Flavio Cobolli, Alexander Bublik, Zizou Bergs
Cold: Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Hubert Hurkacz, Jan-Lennard Struff
Quarterfinal predictions: Jannik Sinner over Miomir Kecmanovic, Karen Khachanov over Andrey Rublev, Alex Michelsen over Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev over Flavio Cobolli
Semifinals: Sinner over Khachanov and Zverev over Michelsen
Final: Sinner over Zverev
HSBC Championships
Where: London, England
Surface: Grass
Prize money: 2,522,220 Euros
Points: 500
Top seed: Carlos Alcaraz
2024 champion: Tommy Paul (not playing)
Draw analysis: For the second consecutive year, Alcaraz heads to Queen’s Club following a victory at the French Open and a vacation in Ibiza. The first two times he went to Ibiza the ultimate result was a triumph shortly thereafter at Wimbledon, but the Spaniard’s Queen’s Club fortunes were mixed. He lifted the trophy in 2023 before falling in the second round to Draper last summer. It’s safe to say there will be no Alcaraz vs. Draper meeting in the early rounds this time. Draper is up to fourth in the rankings and seeded second, so they are on a collision course for the championship match.
Of course, making it that far will be no easy task for either Alcaraz or Draper because the entire draw is loaded. Alcaraz will begin his tournament against compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, while Shelton and Rune are possible opponents in the quarters and semis, respectively. A deep bottom half of the bracket is headlined by Draper, Fritz, De Minaur, Frances Tiafoe, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and ‘s-Hertogenbosch winner Gabriel Diallo. De Minaur vs. Jiri Lehecka is a first-round matchup to watch.
Hot: Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper, Ben Shelton, Jake Fearnley, Gabriel Diallo
Cold: Grigor Dimitrov, Jiri Lehecka, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Jordan Thompson, Dan Evans
Quarterfinal predictions: Ben Shelton over Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune over Cameron Norrie, Alex de Minaur over Jake Fearnley, and Jack Draper over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Semifinals: Rune over Shelton and Draper over De Minaur
Final: Draper over Rune
who ya got?
Sinner over Zverev, Draper over Alcaraz.
Just picking quickly , play starts soon. I have Hurkacz going a few rounds, but nit sure if he beat Machac. Not much confidence all round
Halle
QF: Hurkacz over Sinner, Rublev over Auger-Aliassime, Medvedev over Tsitsipas, Humbert over Zverev
SF: Hurkacz over Rublev, Humbert over Medvedev
F: Hurkacz over Humbert
Cobolli’s a poor grass pick generally speaking and do you really expect him to beat Fonseca and Shapo-Humbert on it?
I can see Zverev going out on his first match and definitely to Humbert. Not so sure about Hurkacz though , pulled out injured last week
Unlikely Zverev will go out to Giron, however if it’s Sonego in R2 that’s another story.
yeah Hurk might not even play
Are you sure about that, he only pulled out last week cause of back pain, he’s probably fine to play now.
he already WDed
Not a great bet for Wimby then
Yeah, sad, back must really not be good then.
London
QF: Alcaraz over Shelton, Rune over Norrie, de Minaur over Fritz, Draper over Tiafoe
SF: Alcaraz over Rune, de Minaur over Draper
F: Alcaraz over de Minaur
For what its worth :
London
QF: Alcaraz over Shelton, Rune over Norrie, Fritz over De Minaur, Draper over Nakashima
SF: Alcaraz over Rune, Draper over Fritz
F: Draper over Alcaraz
Halle
QF: Sinner over Hurkacz, Rublev over FAA , Michelsen over Halys ,Zverev over Humbert
SF: Sinner over Rublev, Zverev over Michelsen
F:Sinner over Zverev
Draper good pick
Nice headshot R Dimon. Due for an update?
It will be if its right