HSBC Championships 2026: Emma Raducanu vs Donna Vekic final preview
• 1 minute read
It’s a final British fans will have been hoping for as 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu takes on former Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic for a shot at the Queen’s Club title.
Raducanu will be playing in her first WTA 500 and first grass court final in a bid to win her home tournament in London.
Meanwhile, Vekic will be competing in her first tour-level final since the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and aiming to lift her first WTA 500 title in her fifth final.
Both players have been in unstoppable form this week and Sunday’s final promises to be a blockbuster. Ahead of the HSBC Championships final, here’s everything you need to know.
Head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Raducanu and Vekic on the WTA Tour.
Raducanu is currently ranked at No.42 in the world, with Vekic 34 spots lower at world No.76.
The British star has won one WTA title so far in her career at the US Open. Meanwhile, 29-year-old Vekic is a four-time champion, including a grass court title in Nottingham (2017).
Paths to the final
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Emma Raducanu |
Donna Vekic |
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First round: bt. Anna Blinkova 6-0, 6-3 |
First round: bt. Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR) 6-2, 6-3 |
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Second round: bt. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) (7) 6-4, 6-2 |
Second round: bt. Marie Bouzkova (CZE) 7-6(9), 6-3 |
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Quarter-final: bt. Kamilla Rakhimova (UZB) 6-3, 7-5 |
Quarter-final: bt. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 |
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Semi-final: bt. Iva Jovic (USA) (6) 6-2, 6-2 |
Semi-final: bt. Katie Boulter (GBR) 6-1, 6-3 |
Tournament stats
Raducanu
Raducanu’s return has been one of her best weapons this week with a shot quality of 7.8/10 vs the draw average 6.3.
She’s also been particularly aggressive on her second serve return to put her opponents under pressure. She’s taken 100% of second serve returns inside the baseline this week.
Raducanu has been strong in the shorter rallies as well. She’s won 64% of points in rallies of 0-4 shots.
Vekic
Vekic’s serve has been a big part of her success so far this week, with the Croatian dropping just six points on serve in her semi-final against Katie Boulter.
Her serve quality throughout the week has been 8.3/10 – higher than the draw average of 7.5 – with an average first serve speed of 107mph.
On return, Vekic has been very effective against the second serve. Vekic has won 69% of points when returning a second serve compared to the draw average of 54%.
How to watch the Queen’s tennis final
You can watch Emma Raducanu vs Donna Vekic in the final of the HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club on the BBC, across BBC digital services and on Tennis Channel.
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