Donna Vekic defeats Emma Raducanu to win Queen’s title

Emma Raducanu’s wait for a first title since her 2021 US Open triumph continued after she was beaten by Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the Queen’s Club final.

The British number one lost 6-0 7-6 (8-6) in London on Sunday as Vekic claimed the title after entering the tournament on luck following Marta Kostyuk’s withdrawal through injury.

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Raducanu, ranked 42nd in the world, struggled badly in the opening set and appeared affected by a leg issue as Vekic raced through it in under 30 minutes.

The 23-year-old responded strongly in the second set, breaking twice to move ahead and raising hopes among the home crowd of a comeback.

However, she was unable to serve out the set on two occasions as the Croatian fought back.

Raducanu saved four championship points, including one during the tie-break, but eventually sent a forehand wide on the fifth as Vekic sealed victory.

The win marks a major achievement for Vekic, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist who is ranked 72nd in the world but has built a strong reputation on grass courts.

Despite the defeat, Raducanu enjoyed one of her best weeks in recent months and is expected to move close to the world’s top 30 ahead of Wimbledon.

“What a week - it's been an incredible week for me to reach the final. Donna played superbly from start to finish,” Raducanu said.