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Emma Raducanu’s wait for her first trophy since her 2021 US Open triumph continues as she was defeated in the Queen’s final by Croatia’s Donna Vekic.
Following an impressive double win on Saturday to book her spot in the showpiece event, the British number one struggled to find her momentum early on and was paid a price for the slow start as she lost 6-0 7-6 (8-6) to Vekic.
Losing seven consecutive games on Andy Murray Arena, Emma produced a valiant performance in the second set and saved three championship points at 6-5 in the second set to force a tie-break.
However, Vekic managed to secure the title on her fifth championship point as the Briton sent a forehand wide. A Wimbledon semi-finalist two years ago, the 29-year-old was a lucky loser, where she was beaten in qualifying but was put into the main draw after Marta Kostyuk pulled out, and she certainly didn’t look back to claim the Championship in west London.
“Right now it obviously really stings, so I’m just going to try and let myself feel it today – but try and get over it pretty quick,” said Raducanu.
“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, in a way, celebrated,” said Raducanu. “It’s a good achievement for me and I’m proud of it.”
Having overcome two impressive matches on Saturday – beating Kamilla Rakhimova in the quarter-final followed by the American teenage sensation Iva Jovic – it became evident that the amount of time on court caught up with the 23-year-old, who also seemed hampered by a leg issue.
Vekic cruised to the first set in less than half an hour with six games without a reply, but the Bromley-born Emma quickly rallied herself in the second and moved to a double break.
However, Raducanu failed twice to serve out the second set – and could not convert two set points at 5-4 – but ensured she forced a tie-break against the experienced campaigner but Vekic, who is ranked 76th, eventually won 8-6 and earned her first title of the season.
Having only played six matches from February to the start of Queen’s, suffering a viral illness, Raducanu will certainly take confidence from the last few days in west London with the ranking points pushing her up to the brink of the top 30 in the world rankings.
