Cinch Championships: Preview and all you need to know

The Cinch Championships have historically been one of the biggest tournaments before Wimbledon. This year is no different. While there will be Novak Djokovic (he doesn’t need to play) or Rafael Nadal (he’s too injured to play), there will be Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune. Let’s not also forget Andy Murray will be playing, too.

How tough is this draw? Heck, two-time defending champion Matteo Berrettini can’t even get seeded. Sure, he isn’t exactly winning a lot of tournaments right now or playing at the highest level on the ATP, but if someone has won the tournament the last two years, maybe throw them an 8th-seeded bone.

Most eyes will probably be on two players previously mentioned. One is Andy Murray, one of the best tennis players in the history of English tennis. The other, of course, is Carlos Alcaraz, the 20-year-old who is likely going to be involved in Grand Slam finals for the next 10-15 years. Here’s what you need to know about the Cinch Championships.

Cinch Championships: All you need to know

When is the Cinch Championships?

Qualifying for the tournament is underway but the matches that lead up to the final start on Monday, June 19th. The tournament runs through Sunday, June 25th. Matches begin at 12 pm local time until June 24th when the matches begin at 1 pm local time. The singles final will start at 1:30 pm local time on the 25th.

Who is seeded at the Cinch Championships?

Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed, followed by Holger Rune (2), Taylor Fritz (3), Frances Tiafoe (4), Cameron Norrie (5), Lorenzo Musetti (6), Alex De Minaur (7), and Francisco Cerundolo (8). Any Murray is playing but unseeded. Milos Raonic, like Murray trying to work his way back into form, is also in the draw.

How much am I gonna get if I win the Cinch Championships?

Well, if you are reading this and in the tournament, thank you! Also, if you win, you won’t be poor anymore. The singles winner will receive 410,515 pounds (or $526,444 American). If you lose in the finals, you will still get 220,880 pounds. And just for showing up in the opening round, you will get 17,120 pounds.

A bit of Cinch Championships trivia

The youngest player to win the tournament was Boris Becker when he was 17 years old in 1985. You might remember that year as the same year that Becker won Wimbledon, so a victory at The Queen’s Club can give you enough momentum to win the next major (of course, like Wimbledon, the Cinch Championships are played on grass).

Andy Murray has the most wins with five.  The last came in 2016, and this was also the same year Murray won Wimbledon. John McEnroe has won the most matches at the tournament with 42.

Who is going to win the Cinch Championships in 2023?

I am not a betting person (because I lose when I bet), but if I were most of my money would go on Carlos Alcaraz. He seems head and shoulders above the rest of the field. But I’d say that about Alcaraz in most tournaments he plays that Novak Djokovic isn’t taking part in.