British Tennis Stars Set to Shine at Queen’s Club Championships
The tennis world is abuzz as the action switches from clay courts to grass, with the HSBC Championship at Queen’s Club in West London marking a significant milestone in the lead-up to Wimbledon. The WTA returns to Queen’s for the first time in 52 years, and British tennis fans will be eagerly watching as their homegrown stars take to the court.
According to a report by Metro, three British princesses of tennis – Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Heather Watson – are set to make their debuts at Queen’s, with Raducanu being the fourth favourite to win the title at 10/1 with Betway. Boulter is 28/1 with William Hill and Sky Bet, while Watson will face stiff competition in her match against Russia’s Yulia Putintseva, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.
As noted by Metro, it has been a long time since a British woman triumphed at the All England Championships, with Virginia Wade’s victory in 1977 being the last. Raducanu’s best efforts in SW17 have been her fourth-round appearances last year and in 2021, just months before capturing the hearts of the nation with her sensational US Open victory.
The Metro report also highlights that British No.1 Boulter battled her way to the third round in 2022 and 2023, while Watson enjoyed her best showing at the third grand slam when she advanced to the last 16 three years ago. Raducanu begins her campaign against 27-year-old Spaniard Cristina Bucsa and is 5/6 with bet365 to win in straight sets.
Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys is expected to lift the trophy on Sunday at 4/1 with William Hill, Betfair, Paddy Power, and Sky Bet. However, 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina is considered a huge danger to Keys’ chances.
In related news, the managerial merry-go-round is also in full swing, with Thomas Frank’s appointment as the new Tottenham Hotspur manager appearing to be a done deal. As Metro reports, Justin Cochrane, Frank’s lieutenant, is the 4/7 favourite with Bet Victor to land the Brentford job, but he may follow his boss across London. Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna is 5/1 with the same firm to land the Brentford role following the Tractor Boys’ relegation.
As the tennis action unfolds at Queen’s Club, fans will be keeping a close eye on the performances of Raducanu, Boulter, and Watson. With the tournament being a key indicator of form ahead of Wimbledon, it’s set to be an exciting competition. As Metro notes, “Au revoir to the French Open and two breathtaking finals as a truly memorable clay court tennis season finished on the highest of highs.” The stage is now set for a thrilling Queen’s Club Championships, and tennis fans won’t want to miss it.
The Metro report also provided some interesting statistics, stating that “Raducanu begins her campaign against 27-year-old Spaniard Cristina Bucsa and is 5/6 with bet365 to win in straight sets while Boulter is 13/10 with Betway to beat Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the same manner, even though the Croatian-born right-hander reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in both 2021 and 2022.”
Original source: Metro
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