Latest news with #AndyMurrayArena
The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Dan Evans: I've come full circle winning first match at Andy Murray Arena
Dan Evans felt he had come full circle after winning the first men's match at the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena. Evans beat world number 13 Frances Tiafoe 7-5 6-2 to reach the second round of the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club. The 35-year-old was Murray's partner when the three-time grand slam winner and former world number one played his final match, for Great Britain in the men's doubles at the Olympics last year. 'I didn't really think anything of it when I was put first on,' said Evans. 'But then a few people mentioned it, that I had finished with him in his last match and then played the men's event, the first match. It was pretty cool to do that.' Evans, now ranked a lowly 199 and plodding around the lower-tier Challenger events, rolled back the years against big-serving American Tiafoe. He picked up his second career win over a top-20 opponent on grass, having knocked 16th-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili out of Wimbledon six years ago. 'I still believed I've got that tennis in me and I still believe I can do good things inside the top 100. But believing it and it happening is a lot different,' he added. 'You know, that's why I wake up in the morning to go to practice, to go to training. 'You know how some days you think 'are you deluded, are you nuts, have you still got it, still got it in your legs'? I think today showed I still have a bit left.' Evans needed a wildcard to play at Queen's and will need another if he is to compete at Wimbledon. 'I don't think any younger players have been ripping up stumps to knock me out of the wildcard spot,' he said. 'So I think I've got a good shot again. If I don't, yeah, I respect the All England Club. It's an amazing tournament, and they might go for younger people, which is perfectly fine. If they don't, I've got a chance.' British number two Jacob Fearnley joined Evans in round two after he made short work of Australia's Alex Bolt with a 6-2 6-4 victory. Edinburgh-born Fearnley, 23, said: 'It's really special to play here at Queen's on the Andy Murray Arena. 'As a British tennis player, this is where we want to be playing, in front of a home crowd at Queen's. 'It's huge. I'm super happy he got an arena named after him. He was my biggest role model growing up.' But there was disappointment for British number three Cameron Norrie, who was beaten 7-6 (6) 1-6 6-1 by Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Emma Raducanu ‘really feeling it' at Queen's as she eases into second round
Emma Raducanu admitted she was 'really feeling it' after she overcame early nerves to open her grass court singles season with an emphatic 6-1 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa and book her place in the second round at Queen's. The 22-year-old, who secured a first doubles victory with partner Katie Boulter on Monday, revealed before the tournament – the first time Queen's has hosted women's tennis in 52 years – that she was still managing ongoing back issues, playing down expectations for this WTA 500 event which boasts a £1million prize pot. And though she insisted her hopes were 'staying low', Raducanu was in fine form on centre court – on Monday inaugurated as the Andy Murray Arena – where she dispatched Bucsa in just one hour and four minutes. 'I must say I was quite locked in today,' Raducanu said on court, later telling a press conference: 'I think the biggest thing I'm proud of is just the way I handled the situation. 'But, I mean, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous before the match. The way I overcame that I think is really, for me, a great achievement. 'I think I built my way into the match. I didn't necessarily feel (locked in) from the get-go, but I think as the match went on, I definitely got that. I was really feeling it.' Those back niggles have not entirely disappeared, but Raducanu was clearly enjoying herself. She added: 'I play my best when my personality is put on the court and I can express myself, and I feel like sometimes when I've been constrained to play a certain way, it hasn't necessarily worked, and I just need to be free and expressive and then certain moments of creativity can come up. 'I mean, it's easier said than done to be yourself, especially when you're on such a big stage, but for sure when I'm playing freely, when I'm swinging and taking on chances, that is when I'm at my best. Yeah, then I think as that happened today, I could kind of relax into it and more and more could come up.' Raducanu faces Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in the round of 16 on Thursday, but next up is round two of the doubles at midday on Wednesday, where she and British number one Boulter will take on Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe, who knocked out the other all-British duo, Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage, earlier in the afternoon. British number one Boulter also punched her ticket to the second round but in much grittier fashion, battling to a 7-6 (4) 1-6 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic. 'When I walked out it actually surpassed what I thought it would feel like when I kind of imagined it,' said Boulter, adding: 'I think it's very easy to get caught up in just trying to get your first grass court match, also coming to such an historic venue as well, which holds a lot of purpose and a lot of familiar feelings when I've come here before.' Earlier, Heather Watson set up a second-round meeting with fourth seed and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina after upsetting world number 27 Yulia Putintseva 6-4 6-3. It was not to be for British wildcard Fran Jones, however, who was defeated in straight sets 6-2 6-4 by American McCartney Kessler.
Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Katie Boulter takes first set against Ajla Tomljanovic in Queen's first round
(*denotes server) Latest updates Uche Amako (live updates) 10 June 2025 2:35pm 2:35PM Boulter 7-6, 1-4 Tomljanovic* Tomljanovic has having a purple patch right now. Striking the ball very clean, with good margin for error. She crushes a forehand down the line to hold. 2:33PM Boulter* 7-6, 1-3 Tomljanovic Three errors in a row by Boulter and Tomljanovic has three break points. Boulter saves the first and has a chance to save the second but places her backhand into the tramlines. The shot didn't need to be that good. She misjudged it and that's proven costly. Tomljanovic breaks. 2:30PM 'The Pimms jugs have started to make an appearance' As we get further into the afternoon the pimms jugs have started to make an appearance, as have more fans. The Andy Murray Arena is slowly filling up to watch Boulter in action as she manages to survive another double fault. 2:29PM Boulter 7-6, 1-2 Tomljanovic* Stress free service hold from Tomljanovic as she showcases her power. The Australian has not given up on this match. 2:25PM Boulter* 7-6, 1-1 Tomljanovic Deep return by Tomljanovic and Boulter slices a defensive backhand into the net. 15-30. The sun has come out in west London and is posing a small problem for Boulter with her ball toss. Boulter gets low and whips a backhand into the corner for a winner, 40-30. Textbook shot making by the Briton. But she follows it up with a double fault. Boulter is making heavy weather of the service game, she is up to five double faults now. But she finds a much needed ace, the ball arching away from 'Tomljanovic', to hold. 2:11PM TIE-BREAK - Boulter 7-6 Tomljanovic Boulter backhand into the net, 3-4. Tomljanovic forehand into the net, 4-4. Good first serve by Boulter unreturned. 5-4. 'Come on' from Boulter after Tomljanovic puts a backhand long, 6-4. Boulter seals the set with a cross court forehand winner, 7-4. 2:04PM Boulter 6-6 Tomljanovic* Must hold service game for the Australian if she wants to force a tie-break. Good second serve by Tomljanovic, Boulter somehow gets the ball into play and Tomljanovic nets a short forehand, 0-30. Class by Tomljanovic to hit a deft volley off a Boulter backhand cross. And her big serve keeps her out of damage. Into a tie-break we go!!! 1:57PM Boulter* 6-5 Tomljanovic When Boulter gets her first serve in, she is in tough to bear. Especially on this serve. A couple of double fault put Boulter under threat by 40-30 but she holds again when Tomljanovic strikes a wild forehand long.
The Herald Scotland
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Sir Andy Murray not ruling out return to coaching despite Novak Djokovic split
Murray, who retired from playing after the 2024 Olympics, linked up with Djokovic in November and despite the pair terminating their relationship in May, the 38-year-old says he may accept a similar role in the future. Andy Murray relished his return to Queen's Club on Monday (John Walton/PA) Murray told BBC Sport: 'I would do it again at some stage. I don't think that will happen immediately. 'I wasn't planning on going into coaching as soon as I finished playing but it was a pretty unique opportunity. It was a chance to learn from one of the best athletes of all time. 'It was a brilliant opportunity for me. We got to spend some really nice moments away from the court. Results weren't as we wanted but we gave it a go.' He's here and he's perfect 🤗@andy_murray unveils the Andy Murray Arena at The Queen's Club #HSBCChampionships — HSBC Championships (@QueensTennis) June 9, 2025 Murray, a three-time grand slam winner and five-time winner of the men's title at Queen's, joked his tennis was now 'diabolical' before rallying with a 10-year-old doubles partner on the court. 'My tennis is diabolical, apologies for what you are about to witness,' he said before pairing up with Gloria, 10, for the ceremonial two-round rally against Laura Robson, who won an Olympic silver medal alongside Murray in 2012, and Jay, 7. 'I've obviously missed being out here,' he added. 'It's the first time, obviously, not being involved in a grass court season for a while, but I've got a new life now and I'm enjoying being away from the sport a little bit.' Centre court at the Queen's Club was renamed in Murray's honour (John Walton/PA) The Scotsman also revealed he has a special connection to this event – he was coached as a 12 and 13-year-old by Russian Olga Morozova, the last women's singles winner here in 1973. 'I think it's brilliant,' said Murray, when asked about the return of women's tennis to Queen's. 'This court has had many great matches on it. I think it's a great chance for women to showcase themselves out there.' The former world number one first competed in the main draw at Queen's as an 18-year-old and for the last time last season before retiring in Paris. He also claimed the doubles trophy in 2019 alongside Feliciano Lopez. Murray added: 'This tournament has so many special moments for me. It's the place where I won my first match on the ATP Tour, it's my most successful event. 'Coming back here at the start of the British summer and I'm very proud of the results I have here. 'I'm very grateful and thankful for whoever it was who decided to name the stadium this way. I hope there's lots of great matches and you all enjoy the tennis.'
Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
BBC fails to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter match
The BBC faced complaints from tennis fans after failing to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter's doubles match at Queen's on Monday. Britain's top two women's players were allocated a secondary court at Queen's but the match against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu was not readily available on BBC platforms, prompting heavy criticism. BBC Two showed live coverage of British No 3 Sonay Kartal's match against Daria Kasatkina, while on iPlayer two channels showed that same match while the other hosted highlights of Czech player Petra Kvitova's three-set defeat by Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia. Raducanu and Boulter's match only featured briefly as part of BBC Two's coverage before it cut away back to Kartal's encounter. Instead of being allocated a doubles slot on the newly named 7,700-capacity Andy Murray Arena, the British pair instead had to play on Court One, with a capacity of just 1,000. One fan said she was 'outraged' at the decision. It meant her Centre Court ticket did not allow her to watch the game. The smaller capacity Court One was therefore standing room only, while some took to the overhanging stand on the Andy Murray Arena to catch a glimpse of the action. Spectators, who had queued for more than an hour to get in, had been told before the match that they would not be allowed to return if they left their seats. Those who had tickets for the main arena were peering over the back of the stand to watch Raducanu and Boulter in action at the end of the first game. It was not until midway through the second set in their match that a large television camera appeared at the side of the court, in an area which had been allocated to the media for standing. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), who host Queen's, could not move the game to the main arena because of the tournament's contractual obligations with the organising partner, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA mandates that four singles matches are shown on Centre Court per day to satisfy its standing as international rights holders. It means there was no room for a doubles match to be moved despite the interest from spectators. When asked about playing on Court One rather than the main arena, Raducanu said: 'I think sometimes on the smaller courts you get a bigger feel for the match and the atmosphere and the environment because it's a lot closer, more intimate, and you hear the support more. 'For me, 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. But I think it puts a really nice feel to it. 'The Andy Murray Arena, hopefully we'll get to play on it for our matches tomorrow.'
