Lucky losers do not often lift trophies. Donna Vekic had not even been certain of her place in the main draw at the start of the week. By Sunday afternoon at The Queen’s Club, the Croatian was celebrating her first WTA 500 title — and one of the most improbable champion’s stories in recent memory at the historic London venue.
In a final watched by a packed Andy Murray Arena, Vekic defeated British No.1 Emma Raducanu 6-0, 7-6(6) in just over an hour and a half, handing the 23-year-old home favourite her most heartbreaking result of a career that has been defined by high hopes and agonising near-misses.
An Impossible Week for Vekic
World No.76 Vekic had entered the HSBC Championships as a lucky loser after losing in qualifying, only reaching the main draw when another player withdrew. From that improbable starting point, she produced one of the great Queen’s Club runs — dismantling opponents one by one on the pristine grass courts of West London.
The final unfolded in extraordinary fashion. Vekic was ruthless in the opening set, which she claimed 6-0 in under 30 minutes, exposing a surprisingly muted Raducanu who appeared to struggle to find her rhythm in the early stages. The home crowd fell quiet, willing their player back into the contest.
Raducanu Fights Back
The second set told a very different story. Raducanu found her range, built a 5-2 lead, and appeared to be on course to force a decider. Two set points came and went. The nerves that had cost British players at this venue over many years surfaced at the critical moment.
Vekic saved both, clawed back from 5-2 down to level at 6-6, and then held her nerve through the tie-break to seal the title 7-6(6). It was a stunning reversal of fortunes — and a reminder that in sport, nothing is settled until the final point has been played.
For Raducanu, it was a bittersweet week. She had entered the HSBC Championships having made the Transylvania Open final earlier this season, and her run here — defeating Anna Blinkova, Sorana Cirstea, Kamilla Rakhimova, and Iva Jovic without dropping a set — suggested that her long-awaited first WTA title since the 2021 US Open might finally be on the cards. It was not to be. “The support today was electric,” she had said after her semi-final victory. “I want to take this opportunity to thank them.”
Historic Achievement for Vekic
For Vekic, the title represents a landmark in a career that has produced moments of brilliance without always delivering the silverware to match. She becomes the first Croatian women’s singles champion in the history of the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club — a fact that will sit alongside her name in the record books regardless of what comes next.
The timing could hardly be better. With Wimbledon just weeks away, Vekic arrives at SW19 as a grass-court title holder and full of confidence. For a player ranked 76th in the world, this kind of momentum is priceless heading into a Grand Slam. Her first title since 2024 is also her first at the WTA 500 level, a step up in stature that will bring its own rewards in the rankings.
The HSBC Championships has a long history of producing form players who go on to perform well at Wimbledon. Vekic will be one of the most dangerous floaters in the draw when the grass-court Grand Slam begins.
What Next for Raducanu?
Raducanu, who turns 24 later this year, will reflect on a week that showed the best and worst of her game. Her run to the final — underpinned by aggressive groundstrokes, sharp returning, and an improved physical condition — was the kind of deep run the British public has been waiting for. The final proved a step too far, but there is undeniable progress here.
The HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club serves as one of the premier Wimbledon warm-up events on the grass-court calendar, and Raducanu will carry her form — if not the trophy — into the coming weeks. She may yet have her moment on grass. Just not this particular Sunday.
Wimbledon 2026 begins later this month at the All England Club in SW19.
