Vekic needs five match points to win Queen’s

Donna Vekic dominated the opening set but had to come from a double break down in the second to win the Queen’s club title on Sunday 6-0, 7-6 (6)  over Emma Raducanu.

The victory denied the British runner-up her first trophy since winning the US Open as a teenaged qualifier half a decade ago.

The one and three-quarter hour victory for the Croat lucky loser from qualifying round was  match of two halves, with Vekic unchallenged in the first but made to battle before finally lifting victory with a second-set tiebreaker.

Raducanu was playing in her third career final and won her only title at the 2021 US Open. Vekic won her first trophy since Monterrey three years ago.

The 29-year-old Vekic, ranked 76th, was thwarted on her first four match point chances late in the second set.

Raducanu, cheered by a home crowd in west London, took the second set into a tiebreaker as Vekic drove long as the fight went into a decider.

The Brit rallied from 4-1 down  before Vekic set up her fifth match point with a down-the-line winner and Raducanu’s shot landed wide a point later

The winner revealed that she had called upon her longtime coach from childhood to come join her team for the summer.

“Growing up and playing on the Tour, I was always jealous that the boys got to play on this grass,” she said of an event which only brought back the women’s event a year ago after a pause of half a century.  .

“But since last year, we have the opportunity also.”

Vekic explained her coaching situation: “The coach that I worked with from age 12 agreed to come back and help this grass season.

“Without him, I would have not know about grass – my favourite surface. And without you I would not be here with this trophy.”

Raducanu made vast improvements this week which should aid her Wimbledon buildup.

“What a week it’s been,” the finalist said. “It was incredible for me to make the fina, playing in my home city where I feel the buzz.

“The crowd support was incredible and helped me to fight back in the second set.

“Today was a really tough match, Donna played well from start to finish.”

Raducanu will travel north for next week’s WTA event in Nottingham.

Main photo:- Lucky loser qualifier Donna Vekic wins Queens Title – by Mark Greenwood/ISF Ltd