KATIE BOULTER SHEDS LIGHT ON NEW EMMA RADUCANU DOUBLES PARTNERSHIP - AS BRITISH NO1 REVEALS HOW THE PAIR DECIDED TO TEAM UP FOR QUEEN'S DEBUT

• Boulter and Raducanu have never played doubles together on the WTA tour 
• But keen to get more grass matches under their belts pair will treat home crowd 
• Monday marks the first time women have played event at the venue since 1973 

Katie Boulter is set to partner with fellow Briton Emma Raducanu for the first time this week at the inaugural WTA 500 tournament played at The Queen's Club in west London. 

Raducanu has only played doubles once in her budding career, partnering with Clara Tauson in one round of the 2022 Washington Open. 

The US Open winner memorably stepped back from her heavily anticipated mixed pairing with Andy Murray at last year's Wimbledon, sparking controversy by inadvertently calling time on the three-time Grand Slam champion's tour career with withdrawal. 

But Raducanu will hope to have better luck with her compatriot Boulter this week, with the British No1 shedding light on Sunday afternoon on a pairing born at the very location where they will play their first match. 

'I think myself and Emma, we've been wanting to play for a while now,' Boulter shared. 'I think we've talked about a lot of times, and unfortunately, it just hasn't quite happened for various reasons. I think (for the) first week on grass, to get a couple more matches is super important. 

'I think we were actually here at Queen's, practicing on the clay, and we decided we thought we'd come back and play on the grass together. 

'It'll be extremely special,' Boulter added. 'Obviously, she's a great player, and I'm looking forward to having the first of many more.' 

Boulter and Raducanu have featured a handful of times in Britain's Billie Jean King Cup team, but while Boulter has played a starring role in the doubles, Raducanu's focus has been on singles. 

But both players will be keen to start their grass-court season as they mean to go on in Barons Court, after their clay spells came to similarly premature ends in the second round of the French Open. 

Boulter was outspoken about her delight to return to grass for the first time this year, and her excitement at doing so at a venue steeped in sporting legend. 

Queen's is hosting a women's tournament for the first time since 1973, one week before the well-established men's ATP 500 - which the 27-year-old has been able to take in from the player's box of her fiancee Alex de Minaur. 

'I've obviously come here quite a bit watching tennis, and I've got some really good memories of coming and sitting and watching Alex the last few years,' Boulter continued. 

'I've actually always said to myself, I wish there was an Olympic event here. I wish I got the chance to play on this court. 

'Because you can feel the history. You can feel how incredible it is. I've seen this court packed, and obviously, it's bigger this year. 

'So that thing that's going to be a really interesting moment for me, because I think I'm going to feel a lot of support from the British crowd, and I'm going to get a lot of emotions that can come out at that point.'

Another bonus of a homecoming in front of a British crowd is a literal one, with Boulter adding that playing in England is the 'best part' of her year.    

'I love being here,' Boulter said. 'I get to sleep in my own bed, which really doesn't happen often, and make myself breakfast in the morning, which sometimes counts for so much.' 

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2025-06-08T12:30:49Z