British number one Emma Raducanu will face Croatia's Donna Vekic in the final at Queen's today. The match is set to start at 1:15pm and will be broadcast live on BBC1.
Raducanu's Journey to the Final
Raducanu reached the final after playing two matches on Saturday. The tournament in Kensington experienced weather delays, forcing players to play multiple matches in one day to stay on schedule.
Early on Saturday afternoon, the 23-year-old beat Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 7-5 in her rain-delayed quarter-final. She overcame an injury scare to advance to the semifinals.
Just two hours later, Raducanu returned to the Andy Murray Arena and defeated highly-rated American teenager Iva Jovic 6-2 6-2 to secure her place in the final.
Opponent: Donna Vekic
Raducanu will now play Croatia's Donna Vekic, who beat British number three Katie Boulter in straight sets to book her own spot in the championship match.
Raducanu's Thoughts
"It means everything to be doing this here at Queen's," Raducanu told BBC TV. "The whole day has been electric. This week has been incredible, I really enjoy playing here and that shows in my tennis."
She added: "Ask any British player and they would love to lift the title here. My team and I have been through some tough moments in the last few months but we have been putting in the hard work and I want to thank them for helping me get into the final."
Expert Analysis
BBC pundit and former British number one Annabel Croft said she sees a return of the form that saw Raducanu win the US Open in 2021.
"I haven't seen Emma strike the ball as well as this since the US Open," Croft said on BBC TV. "It was a tougher semi-final than the scoreline suggests but she was the one who was mentally stronger. There was such resilience from her, it was flawless."
"The level was extraordinarily high at the start from both of them but Emma always had the upper hand, especially with her serve. She didn't back away from any tough moments and turned games around when she was struggling."
Croft added: "I wouldn't say it's necessarily the old Emma, I think it's the new Emma. Because if you take all the lessons and experience, all the different ups and downs, you understand a lot more what's going on and what works for you, so I'd say that I'm back and better."
Fitness Concerns
There are concerns over Raducanu's fitness after she took time out during the quarter-final to receive treatment on her left leg.
"Right now I still have to kind of assess, but I know we're going to do everything we possibly can for one more tomorrow," she said.
