By Ben Phillips
Vekic Produces a Grass-Court Masterclass
The return of women’s tennis to Queen’s Club delivered everything fans could have hoped for this week, with drama, upsets, and high-quality grass-court tennis on display throughout the tournament.
In the end, it was Croatia’s Donna Vekic who stole the headlines, defeating Britain’s Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) in Sunday’s final to claim the WTA 500 title in London.
The 29-year-old arrived at Queen’s ranked world No. 76, but her performances throughout the week suggested a player operating far above that ranking.
Vekic produced some of the best grass-court tennis of her career as she stormed to the title, reminding everyone why she climbed as high as world No. 17 in January 2025.
The final looked set to become a dream occasion for the home crowd after Raducanu recovered from a difficult opening set to establish a commanding 5-2 lead in the second. However, Vekic refused to panic.
Drawing on her experience and confidence gained throughout the week, she gradually chipped away at the deficit before edging a tense tie-break to seal a memorable victory.
For much of the match, Vekic’s aggressive baseline game proved too much for Raducanu to handle.
The Croatian struck the ball cleanly from both wings and consistently dictated the tempo of rallies, particularly during a dominant first set in which she failed to drop a game.
Raducanu Shows Signs of Her Best Form
While the scoreline may suggest a one-sided contest, Raducanu deserves significant credit for the way she responded.
The former US Open champion raised her level considerably in the second set and looked on course to force a deciding set before Vekic produced a remarkable comeback.
Despite the disappointment of losing the final, there were plenty of positives for Raducanu to take from her week at Queen’s Club. The 2021 US Open champion produced some of her most encouraging tennis in recent years and looked increasingly comfortable as the tournament progressed.
Perhaps the most significant development was the return of Andrew Richardson to her coaching team.
Richardson was the coach who guided Raducanu through her historic US Open triumph, and there were clear signs throughout the week that their partnership is already having a positive impact.
Raducanu played with a far more aggressive mindset than many fans have become accustomed to seeing.
She consistently looked to take control of rallies early, stepping inside the baseline and using her powerful groundstrokes to dictate play. When she was able to land the first significant blow in rallies, she often looked almost impossible to stop.
Dominant Display Against Iva Jovic
Her semi-final performance against Iva Jovic was arguably the standout British display of the tournament.
In front of a packed Andy Murray Arena, Raducanu dismantled the talented youngster 6-2, 6-2 with a display that brought back memories of the fearless tennis that carried her to Grand Slam glory.
The quality of her ball-striking and movement throughout that match left spectators excited about what could be possible during the upcoming grass-court season.
For those inside the stadium and the millions watching from home, it served as a reminder of just how dangerous Raducanu can be when fully confident and healthy.
With Wimbledon rapidly approaching, the signs are encouraging. Raducanu appeared physically strong throughout the week and looked increasingly comfortable implementing an attacking style of tennis that suits the faster conditions of grass courts.
Katie Boulter’s Huge Statement Win
Another major storyline from the tournament came courtesy of British No. 1 Katie Boulter, who secured one of the biggest wins of her career against world No. 2 Elena Rybakina.
The British star produced an inspired display to defeat the tournament’s top seed 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in a thrilling quarter-final encounter.
Boulter demonstrated tremendous composure under pressure, matching one of the world’s best players from the baseline while taking advantage of the support from the home crowd.
Although Boulter was unable to replicate that level against Vekic in the semi-finals, her victory over Rybakina represented another significant step forward and further highlighted her growing confidence on grass courts.
For British tennis supporters, it was another encouraging sign ahead of Wimbledon, where Boulter will once again hope to make a deep run on home soil.
Rybakina Remains a Wimbledon Favourite
As for Rybakina, there is little reason for concern despite the defeat. The Kazakh remains one of the leading contenders heading into Wimbledon and has already enjoyed an excellent season.
Her Australian Open triumph earlier this year reinforced her status as one of the elite players in the women’s game, and few would expect this result to derail her preparations for the sport’s biggest grass-court event.
Instead, Queen’s Club served as a valuable reminder of the depth and quality currently present on the WTA Tour.
On any given day, players outside the top 50 are capable of producing tennis of the highest standard, and Vekic was the perfect example of that throughout the week.
Wimbledon Beckons
As attention now turns towards Wimbledon, all three leading storylines from Queen’s will be closely watched. Vekic arrives at SW19 with renewed belief, Raducanu looks increasingly like a genuine threat on grass once again, and Boulter has shown she can compete with the very best.
For British tennis fans, the tournament provided plenty of optimism. While Raducanu ultimately fell short of lifting the trophy, her resurgence may prove to be one of the most important stories of the summer.
For now, however, the spotlight belongs to Donna Vekic. After a week that included a commanding victory over Boulter and a stunning comeback against Raducanu in the final, the Croatian leaves London as the Queen’s Club champion and one of the most dangerous players heading into Wimbledon.
