In a thrilling development for tennis enthusiasts, former British No 1 Laura Robson has offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of tennis tournament organization, following her appointment as tournament director for the WTA 500 event. This occasion marks a historic return of women’s tennis to the Queen’s Club in June, for the first time since 1973.
The tennis landscape has been significantly reshaped with the establishment of a new WTA 500 tournament, set to kick off on June 9. This event will serve as a prelude to the customary men’s tournament. The promising lineup of players includes notable names such as Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Daria Kasatkina, Katie Boulter, and Emma Raducanu.
The Queen’s Club men’s tournament, a perennial favorite with players, has consistently clinched the title of the best ATP 500 event year after year. Encouraged by this trend, Robson has set her sights on achieving similar recognition among WTA participants. As she candidly expressed during a Sky Sports Tennis event, she aims to outperform the popular WTA 500 event in Charleston, currently the largest female-only professional tennis tournament in North America.
Robson further highlighted the importance of small gestures such as daily gifting and ensuring adequate availability of practice courts, to keep players content. As the tournament is a new addition to the tennis calendar, she remains positive and hopeful about its success.
The logistics of organizing such an event are complex, given the Queen’s Club status as a member’s club with its own spaces. For the first time, the women’s dressing room has been commandeered for the tournament. Due to space constraints, it’s been necessary to limit the number of people present at the club during the tournament.
However, Robson exudes confidence about the quality of the courts. Measures have been taken to reduce the number of matches on Centre Court and No 1 Court to keep them in prime condition. The overall sentiment among the club members and players is excitement for this inaugural event.
Robson’s experience as tournament director extends beyond the Queen’s Club. Over the past two years, she has also directed the grass court event in Nottingham. She is among a growing number of former players transitioning into Tournament Director roles, a trend led by Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray, who is heading the LTA’s organisation team for the ATP Tour event at Queen’s Club for the second year in a row.
The ATP Tour events at the Queen’s Club are known for their immense popularity, with tickets selling out rapidly. Major brands and companies show keen interest in the hospitality village set up each year. This year has been no different, with all tickets for the men’s tournament already sold out. The organizers are optimistic that the allure of watching celebrated players like four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, recently crowned Australian Open champion Keys, and the British duo of Raducanu and Boulter will draw comparable crowds to the WTA Tour event.
This development poses a significant test for interest in women’s tennis, with tickets for the WTA 500 tournament at the Queen’s Club priced at just £20. As the tennis world gears up for this exciting new chapter, all eyes will be on the Queen’s Club this June.
