By Matt Hardy
The iconic Queen’s Club in west London will host the world’s best female tennis players in a competitive tournament for the first time in 50 years.
Home to the men’s pre-Wimbledon championships, a WTA 500 event will now be held at the club from 2025, according to the LTA.
As a result of the move, the Surbiton Trophy will no longer take place and the Birmingham Classic will be downgraded and shifted forward to the second week of the French Open.
Simon Greenwell, Chair of the Queen’s Club, said: “The Queen’s Club is delighted to be hosting a leading Women’s Tournament after a 52-year absence.
“The Queen’s Club Championships was first held at the Club in 1890 as a joint Men’s and Women’s event and, 135 years on, we are very proud to be hosting both WTA and ATP 500 Tournaments on our historic grass courts.”
Chris Pollard, LTA Director of Major Events and Digital, said: “This new calendar is an important step in increasing the visibility of our sport, particularly the women’s game.
“The changes mean we can deliver a high-profile women’s tour event in London for the first time in half a century. This will kick start interest in the sport at the beginning of the grass court season, meaning more public exposure for tennis in Britain, and more opportunities to inspire the next generation.
The Queen’s Club is delighted to be hosting a leading Women’s Tournament after a 52-year absence.
“We’re committed to protecting the geographical spread of our grass court venues and every venue will now host both men’s and women’s tennis, meaning more chances for fans to watch British players in action closer to them.”
It does mean, however, that the Queen’s Club will host top tennis players for a fortnight rather than just one week with some concerns being raised surrounding the durability of the courts.
