Laura Robson reflects on a landmark HSBC Championships and her hopes for next summer’s WTA event
• 3 MINUTE READ
The HSBC Championships will once again take centre stage at The Queen’s Club in 2026, bringing a fortnight of world class tennis to London.
Last year saw world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz haul his second title in West London, while Tatjana Maria came through qualifying to be crowned the first women’s champion at The Queen’s Club in 52 years, with the women’s event being led by former British No.1 Laura Robson in her new role as a Tournament Director.
Ahead of tickets going on Priority Window sale for Fan+ and Compete Advantage members on Tuesday 4 November, we sat down with Robson, who reflected on her first year at the helm of the WTA event, her standout moments from the week and what fans can expect from next year’s instalment.
“It was one of the highlights of my year”, Robson said, reflecting on this year’s event. “It’s something that you work so long on in the lead up and then when you see it all come together, and you see full stands and happy players – it’s pretty much all we could ask for.
“The reason I wanted to get involved was because it was the first time in over 52 years that women’s tennis was returning to Queen’s. To be part of a historic event like that was a no-brainer for me. I grew up watching Queen’s on TV and have attended the event so many times as a kid. For the WTA to have the same opportunity played a big part in it for sure.”
It’s safe to say this year’s tournament was one for the history books. The return of women’s tennis to The Queen’s Club didn’t just mark a milestone moment for the WTA Tour - it also served up unforgettable moments, storylines and victories that made it a tournament to remember.
It was the first time in over 52 years that women’s tennis was returning to Queen’s - to be part of a historic event like that was a no-brainer for me.
From Beatriz Haddad Maia winning the first WTA match in 52 years on the newly unveiled Andy Murray Arena, to Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter teaming up to form the dynamic doubles duo ‘Boultercanu’ and Maria’s fairytale run from qualifying to lifting the silverware - there were plenty of standout moments to choose from, but which one stood out amongst the rest for Robson?
“Something during the week that maybe I didn’t see unfolding in real time was the performance of Amanda Anisimova,” Robson added.
“She played really well throughout the week and hadn’t had a huge amount of grass court experience. To make the final at Queen’s, then the final of Wimbledon and the US Open, it was a pretty incredible platform for her for the rest of her season - it was definitely a storyline I loved.
“Then on the Friday night to see Emma (Raducanu) play in the evening slot in front of full crowds, a full stadium and peak viewers on BBC as well was pretty special. There were a bunch of matches where I just went out there and enjoyed myself as a tennis fan.”
Since hanging up her tennis racket in 2022, Robson has carved out a successful second career in tennis - this time off the court. She’s become a familiar face on broadcast, working as a pundit for Sky Sports and TNT Sports and offering expert insights in the commentary box for tournaments across the globe.
In 2023, Robson then took on her first Tournament Director role at the Lexus Nottingham Open before stepping up to oversee the HSBC Championships this summer - the biggest women’s event held on British soil outside of The Championships at Wimbledon.
Robson believes that her dual experiences of attending tournaments both as a player and as a broadcaster have given her a unique understanding of what players want from an event, which she applied to this year’s women’s event at Queen’s.
“What I enjoy the most on the Tournament Director's side is the attention to detail. Everyone has their own style of doing it but as a former player you kind of know what the players want. In a way, because I’m still part of the tour all year around, I find it easier to communicate with them around the schedule, facilities and literally everything they need when they are there.
“It’s all little things, like if a player finishes a match late, making sure they have the right nutrition and recovery available so they are ready to come back the next day and compete. At WTA 500 level, we’re always pushing for more to make sure the players can compare it to those WTA 1000 events through the season.”
As far as first tournaments go, the numbers for the WTA event at the HSBC Championships speak for themselves.
More than 62,000 spectators passed through the gates of the prestigious Queen’s Club during the women’s event with the final three days being completely sold out - one of the highest attendances for a standalone WTA event anywhere on the tour.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive from fans and players competing at the tournament and Robson is confident that momentum will carry into next year’s event, as she looks to build an even bigger tournament featuring the biggest names in women’s tennis.
“The reaction has been super positive – not just from the Brits but everyone involved. I think we’re going to see a really strong entry list in 2026 because word gets around and players talk in the locker room about which tournaments are their favourite and where you get treated the best – I would definitely say Queen’s is one of those.
“I spoke to pretty much everyone as they left the event as I basically parked myself by player transport for the week. To see and hear everyone say ‘I can’t wait to come back’ and ‘looking forward to next year already’ means we did a good job but we always want to strive for more.”
While it might feel like only yesterday that this year’s grass court swing came to an end at Wimbledon, the countdown is already on ahead of the 2026 British grass court season.
With plenty of work still to be done to ensure the HSBC Championships returns bigger and better than ever, how is Robson feeling ahead of her second year as Tournament Director?
“I’m really excited, we’ve got some really good players set to compete, which will be very exciting. People want to be part of a cool event, they appreciate the history and the legacy that the club has.”
“My dream for next year would be to have a British winner – I’m sure we all want that!
“We were close, we had a few Brits do really well this year but it’s such a stacked draw, so it’s a tough prospect. I really hope they can come through and challenge again next year.”
Get set as the best women’s and men’s tennis stars from across the world battle it out to become champions at Queen’s. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday 4 November for Fan+ and Compete Advantage members.
General sale opens at 10:00 on Tuesday 11 November.
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