Feliciano Lopez became the first wildcard to win the Queen’s singles title since Pete Sampras in 1999 by beating fellow veteran Gilles Simon.

Lopez, who won the 2017 title, triumphed 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-2).

The Spaniard had spent almost five hours on court on Saturday and France’s Simon, 34, had come through some long matches – and this was another slog.

Lopez, 37, returns to the court later in the doubles final alongside Andy Murray at the Fever-Tree Championships.

The Scot is playing his first tournament since having hip surgery in January and the pair will meet Joe Salisbury, another Briton, and American Rajeev Ram for the trophy.

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For Lopez, lifting the Queen’s trophy again has capped an extraordinary week at the west London club.

Now ranked 113th in the world, he had won just three singles matches this year going into the tournament.

The victory – over former world number six Simon, who had also spent more than 10 hours on court in the singles going into the final – was Lopez’s eighth at Queen’s this week across the singles and doubles.

A ninth, alongside Murray, will make him the first man to lift both trophies at Queen’s since Australian Mark Philippoussis in 1997.

“I don’t know how I did that,” the Spaniard said.

“I thought the best moment of my career was when I held this trophy in 2017 but it’s not. It’s right now.”

‘Now my girlfriend knows I’m a decent tennis player!’

The two players, with a combined age of 71, initially showed little movement and variation as they became locked in a baseline battle.

Lopez’s strong service game proved the difference in the first set and he broke in the first and fifth games – and held off three break points in the sixth – on his way to the opener.

Simon broke at the first attempt in the second set for a 2-0 lead, only to see that wiped out instantly by the Spanish left-hander.

The pair easily traded holds on the way to the tie-break, although Lopez did plant a straightforward volley into the net for 30-30 at 5-5, which would have given him a glimpse of an opportunity.

Lopez recovered to lead 3-1 and 4-2 in the breaker but then missed another volley for a 5-3 lead as Simon battled back to win and force a decider.

That was also an attritional set as Simon, bidding to become the first Frenchman to win the singles at Queen’s, kept finding passing winners when Lopez came forward.

Lopez eventually forced his first match point at 6-5 after a lengthy deuce, sending a tired forehand into the net.

In the deciding tie-break, Lopez moved 5-2 ahead with a stunning volley which left him screaming with delight, then pulled out a service ace out wide for four more match points.

He took the first when, after charging forward to the net again, Simon could only tap a forehand into the net.

Lopez ripped off his bandana after clinching victory, looking over to the stands where his fiancee Sandra Gago – who he is set to marry in September – was crying in celebration.

“When we met, things weren’t going too well and I kept losing,” Lopez, whose previous tour win was the 2017 Queen’s title, told the crowd. “Now she can see I’m a decent tennis player!

“I’m so happy for you; we can share this together.”

Roger Federer got his Wimbledon preparations off to the perfect start by claiming a record-extending 10th title at the Halle grass-court event.

The Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion beat Belgium’s David Goffin 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 to win a 102nd career title.

Federer, chasing a ninth Wimbledon title next month, was made to work in earlier rounds but dominated the final.

“It’s unbelievable. I never thought when I first played here that I would win 10 titles,” the 37-year-old said.

It is the first time Federer has reached double figures at one tournament, with eight at the Dubai Open and Wimbledon and nine at his home event in Basel.

Federer had been taken to three sets by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last 16 and Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals.

But after a tight first set, he was handed a break in the first game of the second set when Goffin double-faulted on break point.

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Andy Murray says he “didn’t expect to be playing in the Queen’s final” on his return to tennis, five months after career-saving hip surgery.

Murray, 32, and Feliciano Lopez, 37, beat John Peers and Henri Kontinen 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 10-7 in the semi-final.

The pair have dropped one set and beaten top seeds Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal en route to the final.

“I didn’t have high expectations at all,” said two-time Wimbledon singles champion Murray.

“I had a tough, tough draw, playing the top seeds in the first match and I’ve never played with Feli [Lopez] before.

“I think things have probably got a little bit better maybe with each match as well.”

In Sunday’s final, Murray and Lopez will play Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram after they claimed a shock victory over fourth-seeded US brothers Bob and Mike Bryan.

Spaniard Lopez will take on 34-year-old Frenchman Gilles Simon in the singles final at 13:30 BST before returning to the court for the doubles final.

• Andy Murray & Feliciano Lopez into Queen’s doubles final
• Relive Murray and Lopez’s semi-finals win
• Lopez to play Simon in Queen’s final

‘Zero pain in my hip’

Before his surgery in January, Murray limped and grimaced between points and his suffering culminated in a tearful news conference at the Australian Open, when he revealed retirement plans.

But the Scot, who has won the singles title at Queen’s five times, has looked sharp on court all week and his body language reveals how much he is enjoying playing again.

Murray said there was “no pain at all” in his hip after the semi-final, although he admitted he was feeling the effects of the three matches he has played.

“My back’s a bit stiff,” he said. “You’re sort of getting down low for a lot of balls and you’re always kind of in a crouched-over position in doubles a bit more than when you’re in singles.

“I’m not used to that as much, so my back has been a little bit stiff after some of the matches. My arm is a little bit tired from serving and stuff. But my hip’s been brilliant so far. I don’t feel anything at all. It’s amazing.”

‘I wanted to play every tournament with one partner’

Murray won his last doubles title with brother Jamie in Tokyo eight years ago, but has not announced any plans to team back up with his sibling.

Instead, the former world number one will play with Brazilian Marcelo Melo at Eastbourne next week before partnering France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon.

“I ideally would have liked to have played with the same partner every single week,” Murray said.

“I have got three brilliant partners, so hopefully we can do OK. But I have to do a few things differently each week.”

The Scot’s mixed doubles partner is yet to be decided for his return to Grand Slam tennis at the All England Club in July.

After revealing in his BBC Sport column that French Open champion Ashleigh Barty had turned him down, many players took to Twitter to offer to play with Murray.

But the three-time Grand Slam winner said he had not spoken to anyone personally about it yet.

“My coach had a few messages from players,” he explained. “A few people have said stuff online, but I haven’t actually spoken to anyone since.”

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Andy Murray reached the doubles final at Queen’s as the Briton’s dream return to tennis continued five months after career-saving hip surgery.

He and Feliciano Lopez beat third seeds John Peers and Henri Kontinen 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 10-7.

It was a third match of the day for Lopez, who reached the singles final before heading straight out to resume their suspended doubles quarter-final.

They play Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram in Sunday’s final.

After completing a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win over Britons Dan Evans and Ken Skupski in a quarter-final that had been suspended on Friday for bad light, they stayed on court to play the semi-final.

“I’m very happy to be in the final,” Murray said.

“It was a good match. It was an unbelievable effort from Feliciano. He’s played a lot of tennis in the last couple of games. He’s not young any more!”

Lopez, 37, takes on 34-year-old Gilles Simon in Sunday’s singles final (13:30 BST) before returning to the court for the doubles final with Murray.

• Lopez to play Simon on Queen’s final
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More Murray magic

In his three matches at his first tournament since having his hip resurfaced in January, Murray has looked sharp.

Gone is the limp and the grimace that accompanied his obvious discomfort at times pre-surgery.

Instead a relaxed and smiling Murray has returned – and while it is clear he is enjoying simply being back on court, it is also clear that his competitive desire is as great as ever.

A fist pump and roar greeted the ace that sealed the opening set, while in the sixth game of the second set, where he and Lopez were 15-40 down at 1-4, he unleashed a fantastic forehand return that was key to them eventually holding serve.

They broke in the following game and took it into a tie-break, where they were just edged out.

With questions over when fatigue might creep in for Lopez – and when a lack of match fitness might begin to show for Murray against two doubles specialists – they drew enough strength to push themselves over the finishing line, sealing victory when the Spaniard’s serve was not returned.

Murray, who has won the singles title at Queen’s five times, will now have the chance to add the doubles crown – five months after a tearful news conference in Australia where he was revealing his retirement plans.

Murray, whose last doubles title was eight years ago in Tokyo alongside brother Jamie, is playing at Eastbourne next week, where he is swapping Lopez for Brazilian partner Marcelo Melo.

The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam singles champion is then scheduled to partner France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the doubles at Wimbledon next month.

But the Scot’s mixed doubles partner is yet to be decided for his return to Grand Slam tennis at the All England Club.

Salisbury & Ram upset Bryan brothers

While all the attention has been on Murray’s return, compatriot Joe Salisbury has flown under the radar and into the final.

The 27-year-old and American Ram claimed a shock 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (10-8) victory against fourth-seeded American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan in their semi-final.

Bob Bryan, who has won 16 men’s doubles Grand Slams, returned to tennis at the beginning of this year after having the same hip surgery as Murray in 2018.

Salisbury has three doubles titles to his name, winning the most recent one with Ram in Dubai in March.

The pair also reached the Brisbane International final in January.

They are doubles specialists but since Murray and Lopez knocked out top seeds Robert Farah and Juan Sebastien Cabal in the opening round here, that is unlikely to bother the Scot and the Spaniard.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

There were understandable signs of fatigue in Lopez after his three-set singles semi-final win, but with Murray alongside – bursting with energy and intent – he was able to rouse himself to win a third match of the day.

It was a chilly evening and Lopez had eaten very little for several hours. The pair lost their way at times in the second set, but were not to be denied in the match tie-break.

What a week this has been for Murray, who on Sunday has the chance to win his first doubles title for eight years.

And what a week for Lopez: a 37-year-old wildcard, with a chance on Sunday to do the double.

Feliciano Lopez and Gilles Simon – who have a combined age of 71 – will meet in the final at Queen’s on Sunday after three-set wins in their semi-finals.

Lopez, who played twice more on Saturday to reach the doubles final with Andy Murray, beat teen Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 (7-3) 6-3 6-4.

Frenchman Simon, 34, reached his first final of the season by beating fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-3.

Lopez, 37, is appearing in his first final since winning Queen’s in 2017.

“I’m so happy, I can’t believe I’m in the final here again. It’s crazy how we old guys can still perform well,” said the Spaniard, who spent nearly five hours on court on Saturday.

“I feel very lucky to still be competitive at this stage of my career. I would never have imagined I could reach the final of Queen’s at 37 years old.”

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Lopez plays three matches in one day – and reaches two finals

Lopez headed back on court just 12 minutes after his victory to resume a doubles quarter-final alongside Britain’s Murray, beating Dan Evans and Ken Skupski, before overcoming third seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers in the semi-final.

“Of course I’m tired,” Lopez said after the doubles semi-final.

“I’ve been playing a lot this week. I haven’t played much because I was injured. I haven’t played three matches in a row in six months. My body feels sore but I’m ready for tomorrow.”

He had trailed promising Canadian 18-year-old Auger-Aliassime in a meeting that featured the largest age gap in an ATP semi-final since 1977.

Auger-Aliassime, seeking to reach his fourth final of the year, had not lost a service game all week and delivered 14 aces on his way to taking the opening set.

But Lopez got the breakthrough to go 2-0 up in the second set when the youngster hit a forehand long and went on to force a decider, and then broke again in the fifth game of the third to set himself on the way to victory.

Another long match for Simon

World number 38 Simon has also spent a lot of time on court here, playing the longest Queen’s match since records began when he beat Nicolas Mahut in the quarter-finals in three hours and 20 minutes on Friday.

And the 34-year-old needed another two hours and 39 minutes to come from behind to beat Russia’s Medvedev, who was the highest-ranked player left in the draw.

“It was hard to recover for this one,” said Simon.

“It was tough until the end with long rallies. It was a tough match. But you relax a bit when you’re really tired and you’ve played a long match.”

Simon could now become the first Frenchman to claim the Queen’s title.

Medvedev, at a career-high 13 in the world rankings, was the first Russian to reach the semi-finals of the tournament in the professional era.

The 23-year-old appeared to struggle with injury throughout the match, icing his shoulder during changeovers several times and holding his back in pain.

• Watch live coverage of Queen’s
• Andy Murray’s Queen’s doubles quarter-final halted because of bad light
• Roger Federer goes for 10th Halle title against David Goffin