HSBC Championships 2025: Katie Boulter & Emma Raducanu win on doubles debut
• 3 MINUTE READ
British dream team Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu sent the fans on Court 1 into a frenzy as they won their first match at the HSBC Championships on Monday.
Teaming up together for the first time, the Brits knocked out Xinyu Jiang and Fang-Hsien Wu 6-4, 6-2 in just over an hour and 10 minutes.
After Raducanu’s first WTA doubles win of her career, the British team were all smiles as they continue their campaign together at Queen’s this year.
“Pleased to get Emma's first win on the board for doubles,” Boulter said in their post-match press conference. “I thought we played some very good tennis considering it's our first time playing together. I think the level was really high and very happy to get our first grass court win this year.”
“I was actually very nervous before the match,” Raducanu added. “I was probably more nervous than a singles because I just didn't really necessarily know what to do.
“I was really happy once we got out there, Katie made me feel so comfortable and I'm just so pleased to get a win on the board.”
While it’s their first time playing together, this is a partnership that has been a long time in the making.
Heading to the HSBC Championships for the first women’s event held at The Queen’s Club in over 50 years, Boulter and Raducanu felt it was the right time to join forces and get some more practice on the grass.
It's really nice to feel the support from everyone here and just to have both Brits on the court as well. We feel it so much more. The atmosphere was pretty fun to play in for us.
“We were talking about it, there were a lot of close calls in Madrid, Miami and Paris,” Raducanu explained.
“I think on the grass, it’s a quick change from clay and it’s a very different surface so it helps us with serving, returning and playing some live points.
“We are playing Billie Jean King Cup as well and we want to put ourselves in the best position possible. For us to get some matches on the court together it's just good preparation for that too.”
Boulter and Raducanu looked strong together out on the grass and were the dominant force from the word go. They clinched their first of four breaks in the opening game of the match and never really looked back with the full voice of the British crowd behind them.
There wasn’t a seat in the house available with queues all around the court to try and get a glimpse of the Brits in action.
“That's really nice to hear, I didn't know that” said Boulter commenting on the lines of fans around the court. “I knew there were a few people outside waiting to watch. It's really nice to feel the support from everyone here and just to have both Brits on the court as well.
“We feel it so much more. The atmosphere was pretty fun to play in for us.”
Raducanu added, “I think sometimes on the smaller courts, you get a bigger feel for the match, the atmosphere and the environment, because it's a lot closer, more intimate and you hear the support more.
“I love playing on those smaller outside courts where you really feel the support and the crowd gets into it.
“I was filling my bottle up and I was literally having a chat in the stands because that's how close it is.”
“Hopefully we get to play on it (Andy Murray Arena) for our matches tomorrow.”
Boulter and Raducanu are both set for singles action tomorrow up against Ajla Tomljanovic and Cristina Bucsa respectively.
In the next round of the doubles, they could play fellow Brits Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage should they come through their first round match against top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe.
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