Vekic beats Raducanu in the Queen’s Club final as Donna Vekic defeats Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6 to win her first WTA 500 title.
Donna Vekic completed a remarkable week in London as Vekic beats Raducanu in the Queen’s Club final, defeating Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) to claim the HSBC Championships title and her first WTA 500 crown.
It was a painful defeat for Raducanu, who had reached her first WTA 500 final and first grass-court final after a brilliant run in front of her home crowd. The British star had not dropped a set on her way to the final, but Vekic’s experience, power and composure proved decisive when the title was on the line.
Vekic made a ruthless start, dominating the opening set from the first game. The Croatian attacked Raducanu’s serve, controlled the baseline exchanges and raced through the first set 6-0 in just 30 minutes. Raducanu looked physically uncomfortable at times and struggled to find any rhythm against an opponent who was striking the ball cleanly.
The second set, however, became a completely different contest. Raducanu lifted her intensity, began to hit through the court with more confidence and moved into a 5-2 lead. For a while, it looked as though the home favourite was ready to force a deciding set and turn the final into a dramatic comeback.
But Vekic refused to panic. The 29-year-old, who entered the tournament as a lucky loser, slowly worked her way back into the set, breaking Raducanu’s momentum and levelling the score at 5-5. She then pushed ahead, created championship-point chances and eventually forced the set into a tense tiebreak.
Raducanu fought bravely, saving pressure points and keeping the crowd alive, but Vekic was the stronger player in the biggest moments. She stayed aggressive, found the lines at crucial times and finally sealed victory on her fifth match point after one hour and 48 minutes.
The win gives Vekic the fifth WTA title of her career and her first since Monterrey in 2023. More importantly, it is her first title at WTA 500 level and a huge confidence boost ahead of Wimbledon, especially after a week in which she turned a lucky loser entry into a championship-winning campaign.
For Raducanu, the defeat will hurt, especially after leading 5-2 in the second set, but her run to the final remains one of the most encouraging weeks of her season. She beat strong opponents, looked sharp on grass and reminded the tennis world that she can still be a major threat when fit and confident.
Queen’s ultimately belonged to Vekic. From a player who had lost in qualifying to a champion holding the trophy, her London run became one of the great comeback stories of the grass-court season.
Match Summary
Donna Vekic beat Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6)
Tournament: HSBC Championships, Queen’s Club
Round: Women’s Singles Final
Surface: Grass
Result: Donna Vekic won the title
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