Carlos Alcaraz will start his grass season at the ATP 500 HSBC Championships 2025, held from June 16 to 22 at Queen’s Club. This event marks his first tournament since successfully defending his French Open title a few days ago. As a two-time defending Wimbledon champion and the standout grass-court player in recent years, Alcaraz aims to maintain his momentum on this surface.

While the Wimbledon tournament looms in the near future, Alcaraz’s immediate focus is on his campaign at Queen’s Club. His quest to win another title at this prestigious event begins against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The early rounds present potential challenges, with a possible second-round match against either Jaume Munar, another compatriot, or Australian Jordan Thompson.

Alcaraz Could Face Ben Shelton in a Key Quarterfinal Battle

Alcaraz’s draw at the HSBC Championships appears demanding, especially as two strong American players might stand in his way during the quarterfinals. Sixth seed Ben Shelton is a prime candidate for this stage; Shelton is currently playing well, having reached the semifinals at the Boss Open in Stuttgart, and is expected to break into the top 10 rankings next week.

If Shelton is eliminated early, Reilly Opelka could emerge as Alcaraz’s alternative quarterfinal opponent. The path forward is further complicated in the semifinals, where fourth seed Holger Rune and eighth seed Jakub Mensik seem likely to confront him. This section of the draw also includes experienced players such as Gael Monfils, Grigor Dimitrov, and Cameron Norrie, adding to the competitive environment.

On the opposite side of the draw, second seed Jack Draper, third seed Taylor Fritz, and seventh seed Frances Tiafoe present potential challenges for Alcaraz in the championship round. The demanding nature of this draw means that the Spaniard must be prepared from the very first match to succeed in this tournament.

Alcaraz Eyes Second Queen’s Club Title While Defending Ranking Points

This tournament represents Alcaraz’s third appearance at Queen’s Club. He secured the title on his debut in 2023 but was unable to defend it last year, losing in the second round to Jack Draper. As an ATP 500 event, the HSBC Championships award 500 ranking points to the winner and 330 to the runner-up.

Having earned only 50 points for a second-round exit last year, Alcaraz must progress beyond that round to improve his current ATP points total of 8,850. A tournament victory would grant him up to 450 points, while a runner-up finish would add 280 points. Besides ranking benefits, winning here would also boost his earnings by $605,530, highlighting the event’s significance in the lead-up to Wimbledon, which is just two weeks away.

Conscious of this timing, Alcaraz will strive to make a deep run to sharpen his form on grass and build confidence for his Wimbledon title defense. This opportunity to gain critical match experience and valuable points emphasizes the stakes involved at Queen’s Club this year.