Emma Raducanu entered the iconic clubhouse at Queen’s Club, brimming with anticipation as she made her way to the stadium court, reflecting the joy of another significant final in front of her home audience. This moment promised to be a highlight in her burgeoning career, especially with her recent impressive performances.
However, her bright demeanor quickly faded in the face of a relentless display from Croatia’s Donna Vekic, who, despite initially losing in qualifying, turned her fortunes around to secure the biggest title of her career, triumphing over Raducanu with a score of 6-0, 7-6 (6).
Although Raducanu faced a difficult beginning, she managed to create numerous opportunities to push for a final set and potentially secure her second title, following her remarkable US Open victory in 2021.
Ranked world No 42, Raducanu showcased determination by taking a 5-2 lead in the second set and holding two set points at 5-4, but her hesitance during crucial moments led to her frustration at not being able to extend the match.
“I haven’t really played much this season, but to think I have made two finals so far, which I haven’t done in years, it has to be celebrated. It’s a good achievement for me and I’m proud of it,” Raducanu remarked. “Right now it obviously really stings, so I’m just going let myself feel it today but try to get over it pretty quick.”
Despite her disappointment, Raducanu’s performances throughout the tournament indicate significant progress. After a lengthy absence due to a post-viral illness, her return to form this week was commendable. The next challenge for her is to maintain consistency and remain physically fit for longer periods to regularly compete at this level.
“I think I have been training well the last months,” Raducanu noted. “I have been doing the same thing every day. On the clay, I just didn’t have the results, but I was applying myself the best I possibly could each day. Even when I didn’t necessarily feel like it, even when I felt down about the results, I kept showing up. It was great to see the result of that this week.”
Vekic may have entered the tournament as a lucky loser with a ranking of 76, but she proved to be a formidable opponent, especially on grass courts. The 29-year-old made it to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2024 and narrowly missed a final spot before winning an Olympic singles silver medal in Paris. Last year, she achieved her career-high ranking of No 17, making her WTA 500 victory unsurprising.
Her journey to the title exemplifies the unpredictability of tennis; after losing her final qualifying match in straight sets to Anna Blinkova, who Raducanu later defeated 6-0, 6-3, Vekic found herself unexpectedly competing for the championship.
Feeling unwell over the weekend, Vekic initially hoped to avoid being called in as a lucky loser after her loss to Blinkova. After relying on antibiotics to see her through the earlier rounds, she played freely from the semi-finals onwards, overcoming both Katie Boulter and Raducanu in consecutive matches. “I was just really grateful that I had another opportunity to play,” she expressed.
When at her peak, Vekic is known for her powerful serving and aggressive ball striking. She dominated the court with her impressive two-handed backhand and was largely unchallenged in her service games.
Raducanu advanced to the final following a gripping Saturday that saw her win two matches, including a semi-final against world No 19 Iva Jovic. After appearing to injure her thigh during her first match, Raducanu faced the compounded challenges of fatigue, physical discomfort, and the pressure of facing a talented opponent like Vekic. She struggled to maintain the speed of her groundstrokes and found it difficult to counter Vekic’s powerful shots. Moreover, her usually reliable serve faltered, leading to uncertainty in her performance.
Despite these difficulties, Raducanu fought tenaciously and had opportunities to contest a final set. After failing to serve out the second set at 5-2, she created two set points at 5-4. On the second, a well-placed first serve set up an easy forehand, but she attempted to outsmart Vekic, who responded with a stunning backhand lob. After falling behind 5-6, Raducanu saved three match points during her serve to force a tie-break, but Vekic regained her composure at the baseline and secured her most significant title after a remarkable recovery from illness.
