The Wait for the New Queen of Queen’s is Almost Over
After 52 years, the wait for a new queen of Queen’s is almost over, as the restoration of women’s tennis to West Kensington concludes. The 1973 champion, Olga Morozova, will soon be succeeded by either Tatjana Maria or Amanda Anisimova, as the women’s event returns to The Queen’s Club. According to The Times, Morozova’s reign as the queen of Queen’s will come to an end when the new champion is crowned on Sunday.
The return of the women’s event at The Queen’s Club is a significant milestone, with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) investing heavily in the tournament. The women’s event has been revived with a strong field, and The Times reports that 85 per cent of tickets have been sold for the women’s week, with weekend sell-outs. The LTA has increased the prize money for the women to £1.04 million, above the requirement for a WTA 500 event, and has pledged equal prize money at both tournaments by 2029.
Morozova, a Russian-born tennis player, has been a familiar figure in British tennis for many years. As a coach, she has worked with elite Russian players, including Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova, as well as British players like Laura Robson and Harriet Dart. The Times quotes Morozova as saying that she offered Andy Murray chocolate if he could turn around a losing position when he was just 12 years old. Morozova, who was the 1973 champion at Queen’s, has been in touch with the LTA to ask if she still has the trophy, but unfortunately, no one knows where it is, so Sunday’s champion will lift a new one.
The women’s event at Queen’s has attracted a strong field, with 10 of the world’s top 20 players competing. However, Berlin will next week have all but one of the women’s top 10. Emma Raducanu, who has been struggling with a back injury, will not be competing in Germany, while Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal are set to compete in the WTA 250 event in Nottingham. Raducanu, who won the US Open as a teenage qualifier, has yet to figure out how to climb to the top of the mountain, despite her sublime triumph.
The men’s tournament at Queen’s is also set to get underway, with Jack Draper, the world No 4 and second seed, facing Jenson Brooksby in his first match. The men’s surfaces may be more tired than usual, following the week of competition completed by the women’s event. However, the LTA is confident that this will not be an issue and that the fortnight of tennis will be a permanent change.
As the women’s event comes to a close, the focus will shift to the men’s tournament, which promises to be an exciting competition. With a strong field and equal prize money on offer, the men’s tournament is set to be a thrilling event. According to The Times, the men’s tournament will be played on the same surfaces as the women’s event, which may be more tired than usual.
The revival of the women’s event at Queen’s is a significant step forward for women’s tennis in the UK. With a strong field and increased prize money, the tournament is set to become a major event in the women’s tennis calendar. As The Times reports, the LTA has pledged equal prize money at both tournaments by 2029, which is a welcome move for women’s tennis.
In conclusion, the wait for the new queen of Queen’s is almost over, and the revival of the women’s event at The Queen’s Club is a significant milestone for women’s tennis in the UK. With a strong field and increased prize money, the tournament is set to become a major event in the women’s tennis calendar. As The Times reports, the women’s event has attracted a strong field, and the men’s tournament is set to be an exciting competition.
Source: The Times – After 52 years, the wait for the new queen of Queen’s is almost over
