Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu stole the spotlight as women’s tennis made a historic return to Queen’s Club for the first time in 52 years on Monday.
With the dust barely settled from the thrilling French Open titles won by Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff last weekend, Queen’s marks the transition to grass courts, and this year’s event is a milestone moment in the tennis calendar.
Since 1973, Queen’s has been solely an ATP event.
But a ground-breaking deal was struck last year to play a WTA 500 tournament in Barons Court before the men compete from June 16.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, Australian Open holder Madison Keys, 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina and world number five Zheng Qinwen are among the female stars set to feature at Queen’s this week.
But Raducanu, who famously won the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier in 2021, was the headline act on opening day.
Fans queued for an hour to see the British star partnered with Katie Boulter in their 6-4, 6-2 first-round doubles win over Jiang Xinyu and Wu Feng-Hsien.
Raducanu, who faces Cristina Bucsa in the singles first round on Tuesday, enjoyed the experience on the intimate Court One, bantering with Boulter and even laughing with spectators.
“I love playing on those smaller courts where you really feel the support, and the crowd gets into it. I was filling my bottle up, and I was literally having a chat in the stands because that’s how close it is. It puts a really nice feel to it,” she said.
Raducanu, who has struggled with poor form and back spasms this year, looked reinvigorated alongside Boulter.
It was an especially memorable afternoon for Raducanu after her visits to Queen’s as a child.
“When I came with my dad, I was more hunting for the (chocolate) brownies around the grounds and not so interested in the tennis! To be back now and competing in it feels amazing,” the world number 37 said.
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Fittingly, Queen’s centre court was officially renamed the Andy Murray Arena on Monday in tribute to the retired Scot’s five titles in the men’s event.
‘A privilege’
Former world number one Murray has been a vocal advocate of women’s tennis and was coached as a boy by Russian Olga Morozova, who was the last female Queen’s champion in 1973.
“Having women’s tennis back at Queen’s for the first time in over 50 years is brilliant,” the two-time Wimbledon winner said.
“I just met the last winner here, Olga Morozova, who actually coached me when I was 12, 13 years old. It’s a great chance for women to showcase themselves out there,” she added.
When Morozova triumphed over half a century ago, the tournament was much different.
Players arrived on the London underground, rain forced matches to be moved indoors onto a wooden court, and the champion received just £1,000 ($1,353) in prize money.
Sunday’s final winner will bank a cheque for £120,000, but the total prize money fund for the women’s tournament is only £1.043 million, while the men’s event has a £2.122 million pot.
Responding to criticism of that disparity, the Lawn Tennis Association pledged to have equal prize money at Queen’s by 2029.
Despite the awkward prize money optics, the mood at Queen’s was resolutely upbeat.
“It’s a seminal moment, given it’s the first time we’ve had a women’s tournament in London for more than 50 years. In many respects, it’s long overdue,” LTA managing director Chris Pollard said.
Over 80 per cent of the tickets for the week have been sold, with fans treated to a dramatic first-round loss for former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Kvitova, who became a mother for the first time last year, was beaten 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The 35-year-old Czech has lost six of her seven matches since returning from maternity leave in February.
“It’s a privilege to be here. This club is very special, and it means a lot to be on this stadium in front of everyone who loves tennis,” Haddad Maia said.
