Veterans Lopez, Simon set up Queen’s final

Feliciano Lopez and Gilles Simon struck a blow for the older generation as they held off two of the sport’s most exciting young talents to reach the Queen’s Club final on Saturday.

After Frenchman Simon (34) ground down Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-7(4) 6-4 6-3 in baseline war of attrition, the 37-year-old Lopez used his vast experience to down 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4.

Left-handed Spaniard Lopez will be contesting his first final since winning the prestigious pre-Wimbledon event two years ago while Simon will be aiming to become the first Frenchman to triumph at Queen’s.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER!

37-year-old @feliciano_lopez becomes the oldest-ever #QueensTennis finalist after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 6-3 6-4! pic.twitter.com/7Lj79bkdIS

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 22, 2019

Both semi-finals were absorbing in their own way.

The first was crammed full of interminable rallies regularly surpassing 30 strokes as Simon and Medvedev turned their match into the equivalent of a staring contest.

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After requiring three hours 20 minutes to get past compatriot Nicolas Mahut on Friday – the longest match at Queen’s since 1991 – it was surprising to see Simon outlast a player 11 years his junior.

“I put the ball in the court. That’s what I do. And I do it for long,” Simon told reporters later.

With similar styles, both players camped out on the baseline waiting for openings that rarely appeared.

Medvedev moved 4-1 ahead in the opening-set tiebreak before Simon won the next two points but Medvedev won a 45-stroke rally to move 5-3 ahead on his way to taking the opener.

The Russian looked ill at ease, however, and after service breaks were exchanged early in the second set it was Simon who began to take the upper hand to level the match.

Simon saved a break point at 1-1 in the deciding set, this time catching the baseline with a backhand to end a hypnotic 49-stroke exchange that had both players puffing out their cheeks on the warmest day of the rain-hit tournament.

Medvedev, clutching his back at times and leaning on his racket like a crutch, looked a spent force and a double-fault cost him his serve at 3-4.

Simon sealed victory in emphatic style to become the first French finalist here since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2011.