Boultucanu & home comforts - how historic Queen's unfolded

BBC News

9 hours ago

Packed crowds, British feel-good energy and the emergence of 'Boultucanu' - the historic women's tournament at Queen's has delivered.When either Tatjana Maria or Amanda Anisimova lift the trophy on Sunday, they will end Olga Morozova's 52-year reign as women's champion at the iconic venue.Hosting a women's event for the first time since 1953 is a moment many feel has been "a long time coming".There were concerns, however, over the impact on the grass courts, with the men's tournament beginning at the same venue on Monday.Tournament director Laura Robson said there had been no complaints over the courts after a week of absorbing action, while the success of the British contingent has contributed to the feel-good atmosphere in London.
Quintessentially British experience embraced by fans
When action got under way on day one the general feeling was 'it's about time'.Queen's has long been a staple of the men's schedule, and a huge draw for fans in the build-up to Wimbledon. The absence of a women's tournament had felt like a missed opportunity.Players recalled watching the men compete, either on TV or as a spectator, and wishing they could take part. Britain's Katie Boulter later said she had been "dreaming" about playing on the main court."It has been a long time coming," former British number one Robson told BBC 5 Live."I didn't realise just how many players have watched this tournament on TV."To see it come together in the last few months has been stressful but in the best way, because you want it to be perfect."Walking around the grounds of Queen's does, in some ways, feel like a 'mini Wimbledon'.It is a quintessentially British tennis experience: punters dressed in their finery, Pimm's in full flow and a beautiful setting, with as much care taken of the flowers and greenery as the pristine courts.It has the same bustling feeling that envelops SW19, with fans queueing at the merchandise stalls or craning their necks at the practice courts for a glimpse of the players.So it was fitting that British icon Sir Andy Murray, a long-time advocate and ally of the women's game, delivered the coin toss for the first women's match on the main court now bearing his name. "Hopefully in a few more years there'll be an arena named after a female player," said one fan.
Britons relish in Queen's 'reward'
The positive energy around the club was further fuelled by a successful week for the British contingent, who quickly made themselves at home.Many already live and train in London. Sleeping in their own beds and being around friends and family was a rare, welcome treat in a packed tennis calendar.Emma Raducanu said the home comforts helped her rhythm and perhaps even contributed to what she called her "free and expressive" style at the tournament."I had a lot of joy playing here at Queen's," said Raducanu after her exit to top seed Zheng Qinwen."The crowd was amazing. The support the whole way through every match was really enjoyable for me."It was a welcome sight to see the 2021 US Open champion smiling and enjoying herself after a difficult few years. Her matches were always well attended, with cries of "we love you Emma!" heard throughout.World number 37 Raducanu reached the quarter-finals while Boulter, Sonay Kartal and Heather Watson all lost in the last-16.Watson, who rode her bike to and from the site each day, said the tournament had "sort of Wimbledon vibes" because of the history."I played on Court One in qualifying and the stand was almost full," the 33-year-old said."Having a big tournament here in London, which is the home of British tennis, is huge and very special for us. It feels like a reward."Boulter's fiance, Alex de Minaur, reached the final at Queen's two years ago. This year, he was able to watch her play before beginning his campaign. "Queen's is everything I dreamed it would be," Boulter said."Every single day I have stepped on the court, it's been a great crowd."I have enjoyed it a lot. I wish it could have been longer."
Perhaps the highlight of the tournament - particularly for those who queued for over an hour in the London sun - was Boulter and Raducanu's surprise doubles pairing. The duo, now fondly nicknamed 'Boultucanu', delighted the 1,000-capacity crowd with their first-round win. Held on the smaller, more intimate Court One, the pair laughed and joked together and chatted with fans at the changes of ends.Their run was short and sweet, but the pair have teased a potential return at some point in the year.
'No complaints' over court quality
Ticket prices were lower in the WTA week, which will not yet be able to raise anything like the revenue of the long-established men's event.Just over 80% of the tickets were purchased before the tournament began and Saturday's semi-finals were sold out."The two tournaments have different personalities and we want to make sure the women's event has its own identity," Robson told BBC 5 Live."From ticket sales we've noticed 55% of the tickets have been sold to women this week. That's not the case next week. "We've seen a younger, more diverse audience in the crowd, and that's something we hope to grow in many years to come. This feels like the start of something special."Attracting the biggest players is an ongoing challenging. With Queen's taking place straight after the French Open, only three top-10 players ultimately competed, with world number three Jessica Pegula a late withdrawal.The total fund this week was £1.043m ($1.415m), compared with £2.122m (2.522m euros) for the men. The LTA has pledged to introduce equal prize money by no later than 2029.As for the courts, they do show signs of wear and tear after a week of action, but that is to be expected. Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller compared them to "day three or four" at Wimbledon."I can't actually believe how well they've held up," said Robson. "It looks almost pristine still."The ground staff have done an incredible job and put in some serious hours."So far, no complaints from the ATP players on site, and long may that continue."Britain's Dan Evans, arriving on site while the tournament was ongoing, said the women's event being held before the men's had created a better buzz around the venue.Ultimately, having a standalone women's event put the spotlight firmly on the female players as the British public begins to turn its attention towards Wimbledon."I think it's a really good opportunity for women's tennis," Boulter added."It was a massive schedule change and probably quite risky, because we are quite set in our ways."I think it's in a place that it should be - and it's pushing more and more towards where it could be."