For the first time since 1973, women’s professional tennis will return to the historic Queen’s Club in London. After more than half a century, the court will welcome back some of the world’s best players in a high-profile WTA 500 event beginning Monday, setting the stage for a new era in British tennis.
The revival of a women’s tournament at Queen’s marks a significant milestone. This year’s event promises fierce competition, with 11 of the world’s top 20 players taking part. Among the stars are former Wimbledon champions Barbora Krejcikova and Elena Rybakina, recent Australian Open winner Madison Keys, and Britain’s Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion. The event precedes the traditional men’s tournament and will offer a total prize fund of £1 million.
This development also arrives at a high point for British women’s tennis. When the latest world rankings are released, three British players Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Sonay Kartal will be in the WTA top 50, a feat not achieved since 1986. It reflects growing momentum and a promising future for women’s tennis in the UK.
The tournament is expected to raise the profile of the sport significantly, offering increased visibility and inspiring wider participation. Tennis has seen a notable growth in engagement across Britain. In the past six years, the number of adults playing the sport at least once a year has surged by 51%, reaching 5.8 million. Junior participation is also on the rise, with 1.57 million children now playing monthly up 7% this year.
Efforts to broaden the appeal of tennis have included major investment in public infrastructure. More than 3,000 public courts in parks have been refurbished as part of a £31 million initiative to make the sport more accessible. Additionally, top British players have called on the government to support a proposal for 40 covered community hubs, which would allow year-round play.
This resurgence in grassroots interest is helping to fuel the success of emerging talents like 23-year-old Kartal, who was educated at a state school and has climbed the rankings rapidly in the past year. She sees the rise in British players reaching the top 50 as a sign of deeper strength and potential within the sport.
The return of women’s tennis to Queen’s has resulted in the Eastbourne women’s tournament being downgraded to a WTA 250 event. However, this shift has not negatively affected attendance, with ticket sales remaining strong. The Queen’s event itself has sold 50,000 tickets so far 55% of which were bought by women demonstrating strong support for the initiative.
This attendance places Queen’s among the top WTA stand-alone events globally. The increased prize fund also underlines the commitment to the women’s game, with plans to reach prize money parity with the men’s event by 2029. Although current figures still lag behind, the trajectory points toward long-term equity.
As 32 players compete for the chance to be crowned Queen’s champion, the tournament is set to make history again. For players like Kartal, competing at such a prestigious venue is a dream realized. Having watched the men play there for years, she is eager to make her mark in what promises to be a landmark week for women’s tennis in the UK.
