Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter declare doubles victory at Queen’s Membership in opening spherical of HSBC Championships | Tennis Information
Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter marked the return of girls’s tennis to Queen’s Membership by sealing a convincing doubles victory.
Britain’s No 1 and a pair of ranked ladies brushed apart the problem of China’s Xinyu Jiang and Taiwan’s Fang-Hsien Wu to win 6-4 6-2 within the opening spherical of the HSBC Championships.
Boulter and Raducanu will each additionally function within the singles competitors, with the enduring London grass court docket venue internet hosting a ladies’s event for the primary time since 1973.
The pair may face fellow Brits Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage within the subsequent spherical, with the opposite residence pairing set to face high seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe on Tuesday.
Raducanu and Boulter celebrated with a hug after finishing victory
Boulter will start her singles marketing campaign in opposition to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, whereas Raducanu faces Spain’s Cristina Bucsa.
Elsewhere on Monday, Britain’s Jacob Fearnley was overwhelmed in straight units by American Brandon Nakashima within the first spherical of the Boss Open in Stuttgart
Andy Murray Enviornment formally inaugurated
Earlier on Monday, centre court docket at Queen’s Membership was formally inaugurated because the Andy Murray Enviornment.
Retired three-time grand slam winner Murray, a long-time champion of the ladies’s recreation, gained the boys’s singles title 5 occasions at Queen’s, most lately in 2016.
Centre court docket at Queen’s Membership has been renamed the Andy Murray area, with the British nice in attendance for a ceremony
“My tennis is diabolical, apologies for what you’re about to witness,” mentioned the 38-year-old earlier than pairing up with Gloria, 10, for the ceremonial two-round rally in opposition to Laura Robson, who gained an Olympic silver medal alongside Murray in 2012, and Jay, 7.
The 38-year-old introduced earlier than final summer time’s Olympic Video games in Paris he would bid farewell at Roland Garros and, after opting to withdraw from the singles competitors – a title he had gained in 2012 and 2016 – Murray bowed out with a 6-2 6-4 defeat alongside Dan Evans.
“I’ve clearly missed being out right here,” he mentioned. “It is the primary time, clearly, not being concerned in a grass court docket season for some time, however I’ve bought a brand new life now and I am having fun with being away from the game just a little bit.”
The Scotsman revealed he has a particular connection to this occasion – he was coached as a 12 and 13-year-old by Russian Olga Morozova, the final ladies’s singles winner right here in 1973.
“I believe it is good,” mentioned Murray, when requested concerning the return of girls’s tennis to Queen’s. “This court docket has had many nice matches on it. I believe it is a fantastic likelihood for ladies to showcase themselves on the market.”
The previous world No 1 first competed in the principle draw at Queen’s as an 18-year-old and for the final time final season earlier than retiring in Paris. He additionally claimed the doubles trophy in 2019 alongside Feliciano Lopez.
Murray added: “This event has so many particular moments for me. It is the place the place I gained my first match on the ATP Tour, it is my most profitable occasion.
“Coming again right here at the beginning of the British summer time and I am very pleased with the outcomes I’ve right here.
“I am very grateful and grateful for whoever it was who determined to call the stadium this manner. I hope there’s numerous nice matches and also you all benefit from the tennis.”
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