Summary:
- Queen’s Club hosted women’s tennis for the first time since 1973, drawing over 50,000 fans for the week.
- British players Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Sonay Kartal all impressed on opening day, with Kartal earning a career-best win.
- The event featured upgraded prize money (£1 million), automated line calls, and a new AI partner, Infosys.
It’s been more than half a century since women last competed at Queen’s Club, a time when Edward Heath was Prime Minister and Queen hadn’t even released Bohemian Rhapsody.
In 2025, history returned to the grass courts in West Kensington, as the prestigious venue finally welcomed women’s tennis back into the fold.
The Perfect Summer Kickoff
With the sun breaking through after a week of rain, the atmosphere at Queen’s felt like the perfect British summer kickoff. Raincoats gave way to sunglasses, and the stands filled with fans eager to witness something overdue and long-awaited.
Back in 1973, Olga Morozova of the Soviet Union took the women’s title at Queen’s, pocketing just £1,000 in prize money.
This year, the women’s competition offers a £1 million purse, a significant upgrade, though still just half of what the men’s event will offer next week.
Despite a few growing pains, the first day was packed with moments worth celebrating. While not a complete sellout, over 80% of the week’s tickets were sold, and interest was clear, particularly in the doubles match featuring Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter.
One-Hour Fan Queue
Fans queued for over an hour to squeeze into the 1,000-capacity Court 1, with some even straining to catch a glimpse from the Andy Murray Arena next door.
Raducanu and Boulter, in just Raducanu’s second-ever doubles match, didn’t disappoint, defeating Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu 6–4, 6–2. Meanwhile, British No. 3 Sonay Kartal pulled off the biggest win of her career, upsetting world No. 16 Daria Kasatkina in a gritty 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 battle.
Sonay Kartal said after,
I was excited to be the first Brit on the Andy Murray Arena. I came to this tournament as a kid and grew up watching it… For us women to be able to play here, I think is special.
More than 50,000 fans have purchased tickets for the week, 55% of them women, a nod to the tournament’s push for broader appeal.
With new tech partners like Infosys onboard and automated line calls now in use, Queen’s is looking forward as much as it’s honoring the past. After just one day, it’s clear the women are more than ready for the spotlight.
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