Donna Vekic brought Emma Raducanu’s run to an end in the Queen’s Club Championships final.
Vekic beat Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) to win her first WTA title since March 2023 after making her way into the draw as a lucky loser.
It was a hugely important week for both players, with Vekic and Raducanu now likely to be seeded for Wimbledon this year.
Raducanu believes she made a mistake in the Queen’s final, and Vekic was asked what she thought about the 2021 US Open champion’s level after winning the title in London.
Donna Vekic claims Emma Raducanu is ‘playing really good tennis’
The Queen’s final was the first time that Vekic and Raducanu had ever played each other, and after the match the Croatian was asked what she thought of her opponent’s tennis going into Wimbledon.
Vekic was full of praise for the 23-year-old, and highlighted the importance of her staying fit and healthy, something Djokovic also said about Raducanu.
How far do you think Emma Raducanu will go at Wimbledon after watching her at Queen’s?
“I mean, she’s playing really good tennis,” Vekic said about Raducanu in her post-match press conference. “Obviously she wouldn’t be in the final if she wasn’t. I think for her it’s just the most important to stay healthy.
“I think for everyone, the schedule is so tough. The level of tennis is so high. It’s so physically demanding. I think that’s the biggest thing.
“You know, I think she likes to play in front of the home crowd. Yeah, no, I think she played really well.”
Donna Vekic gives her verdict on the British fans after playing Emma Raducanu
Raducanu was one of three players that Vekic beat en route to the Queen’s title, having also defeated Katie Boulter and Mika Stojsavljevic.
When asked about the crowd, Vekic suggested that she found it trickier facing the support of Raducanu than other British players.
“Yeah, today wasn’t the easiest, but, you know, for me, I was, okay, I knew obviously they were going to cheer for her, but the atmosphere was absolutely incredible,” said Vekic.
“It was a full stadium, and yeah, I really enjoyed it, even though they were cheering for her.”
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Vekic will look to keep her momentum going, as she now has a short turnaround ahead of the Berlin Open.
The Croatian is a former finalist in Berlin, and Vekic will look to go one step further this year, as she faces Alexandra Eala in the first round.
