Emma Raducanu’s promising run at Queen’s Club ended in the quarter-finals on Friday, as top seed Qinwen Zheng secured a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Despite a spirited second set where Raducanu led 3-0 and later 4-2, the 22-year-old was unable to hold off the experienced Chinese player, who rallied strongly to close out the match in straight sets.
Raducanu, who will become the new British No 1 on Monday, showed flashes of brilliance throughout the tournament, offering a timely reminder of her potential as Wimbledon approaches. A medical timeout taken midway through the match did little to stall Zheng’s momentum, as the Olympic champion used her court craft and powerful baseline game to swing the tie in her favor.
This performance marks Raducanu’s best showing in recent months, raising hopes ahead of her next stop in Berlin, where she will aim to improve her current world ranking of No 36 and potentially earn a seeding spot for Wimbledon.
Zheng, meanwhile, continues to show why she’s among the rising stars on the WTA Tour. Her consistency, composure under pressure, and ability to adapt mid-match helped her navigate through Raducanu’s aggressive play in the second set.
In related news, British players Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans have received wildcards into next week’s ATP event at Queen’s Club. They join Jack Draper, who is already in the main draw. However, defending champion Tommy Paul has withdrawn from the event due to an abdominal injury. Last year’s runner-up, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, also pulled out as he recovers from a leg issue sustained during his French Open semi-final match against Carlos Alcaraz.
The Queen’s Club Championships continue with both ATP and WTA action, available live on Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports+, NOW, and via the Sky Sports app.
As Raducanu heads to Berlin to fine-tune her grass-court game, British tennis fans will be hopeful that her Queen’s performance signals a strong summer campaign. Her resilience and improved form suggest she’s gearing up for a serious run at Wimbledon.
