Donna Vekic secured her first WTA 500 title and fifth career singles trophy by defeating Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) at the Queen’s Club Championships on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
The Croatian, who entered the main draw as a “lucky loser” after falling to Anna Blinkova in the final round of qualifying, capitalized on the withdrawal of Marta Kostyuk to claim the London title.
High-profile peers and legends, including Chris Evert and Jessica Pegula, were among those sending congratulatory messages to the 29-year-old following her 1 hour and 48-minute victory.
The triumph marked Vekic’s first title since the 2023 Monterrey Open and saw her navigate a difficult path that included wins over Katie Boulter and Karolina Pliskova. In the final, Vekic dominated the opening set in just 24 minutes before facing a stiff challenge from Raducanu in the second.
The British star held a 5-2 lead and two set points, but Vekic fended them off to force a tiebreak. She eventually sealed the win on her fifth championship point, recording 32 winners against 25 unforced errors.
Raducanu, playing in her home city at the tournament also known as the HSBC Championships, earned $181,745 as the runner-up. Despite the loss, she remained positive about her trajectory, noting that she has reached two finals so far this season.
During her on-court interview with BBC Sport, Raducanu praised her opponent’s resilience throughout the week, stating that Vekic played “extremely well from the start to the finish.”
Chris Evert and current WTA stars celebrate Vekic’s return
Following the match, Vekic took to social media to celebrate her fifth career title with the caption “Queen’s!!!! No. 5.” The post drew quick reactions from across the tennis world, including former world number one Chris Evert.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion, who saw Vekic train at the Chris Evert Academy as a teenager, commented: “great effort, Donna!” on Instagram. This level of respect from established legends is a staple of the tour, much like how Rousey vs Carano helped define the standing of women’s competition in combat sports.
World number four Jessica Pegula shared her congratulations via an Instagram story, writing, “She’s backkk congrats @donnavekic.” Other professional colleagues joined the chorus, with Victoria Azarenka posting “Idemo Donna,” using the Croatian phrase for “Let’s go.” Former professional Marion Bartoli and British player Katie Boulter also shared messages of support for the champion.
Such peer recognition is vital as the season moves into high-glamour events, similar to the anticipation found in the latest sport news updates regarding major summer tournaments.
Pam Shriver, the 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion who coached Vekic until June 2025, also weighed in on the performance. Shriver, who was in the coaching box when Vekic reached the Wimbledon semi-finals and earned an Olympic silver medal, wrote that Vekic and grass courts are a “match made in heaven.”
The win at Queen’s has now improved Vekic’s career grass-court win rate at the WTA level to 62.4%.
Ranking surge and Wimbledon seeding implications
The financial and professional rewards for Vekic are substantial as she heads toward the third Grand Slam of the year. For winning the final, she collected a prize cheque of $294,445 and 500 ranking points. This haul has propelled her up 44 places in the rankings to world number 32.
This rise is particularly significant as it makes her likely to be seeded for Wimbledon, allowing her to avoid top-ranked opponents until at least the third round.
During her on-court interview on Andy Murray Arena, Vekic reflected on the psychological difficulty of the match. “Winning 6-0 in tennis can be a curse sometimes,” she admitted, referencing how Raducanu raised her level significantly in the second set. After the intensity of the tiebreak, the champion kept her celebration plans simple, telling the London crowd, “I’m off to have Pimms.”
Vekic will have little time to rest before she competes again at the Berlin Open. She is a former finalist in Berlin and is looking to maintain her momentum on grass. However, she faces a challenging first-round draw against Alexandra Eala.
The match offers Vekic a chance to avenge a loss she suffered against the Filipina player earlier this year in Auckland. Success in Berlin would further solidify her status as one of the tour’s most dangerous grass-court specialists ahead of the major at SW19.
