Naomi Broady has been keen to quash one story about the Queen’s Club Championships which has proved plenty of people wrong.
Offering a round-up of the women’s event earlier this week, the former world number 76 was delighted by their return to these grounds after nearly 40 years.
It marked a landmark moment for the event, who did take a risk in expanding it out over two weeks.
Arguably the biggest fear that arose from these plans was how the grass courts might have held up, especially heading into the latter stages of the second week during the men’s tournament.
However, Broady has emerged to assuage those fears.
What all ATP players are now saying about the Queen’s courts
She sought to dispel this rumour though, speaking on Tennis Channel, instead suggesting that the women’s tournament has only added to the preceding men’s event.
Broady claimed: ‘It’s not and actually I think a lot of people were maybe expecting the men to say that they weren’t happy about it, but I can report back that they don’t mind at all. In fact, they’re quite pleased about it.
‘We heard Dan Evans say earlier this week how, yes, and he was just saying how he really preferred the atmosphere. There was a real buzz around the tennis. Normally, when the men arrive here, the public aren’t allowed in, so, it’s a members’ club.
‘So he said for sort of the women’s quarterfinals, semifinals and finals day, there was a real buzz around the centre, because so many people were here on grounds passes or with the centre court tickets to watch the women, so they pop out and watch the men warm up and get their practices in too.
‘And also, they’re actually preferring how the courts are playing, the baselines, which are usually really slippery the first few days of grass court tennis have already been worn in nicely.
‘So whilst they’re not kind of down to the dirt yet, they’re not muddy, that top, fresh, slippery layer has been taken off, so the men are really happy to be here, in the atmosphere the women have brought in, and last week was a really successful tournament.’
Laura Robson even admitted she was surprised at how well the Queen’s courts have held up.
Queen’s is only set to grow in stature
Amidst growing claims that the grass-court season should have a Masters 1000 event, Queen’s is doing a phenomenal job of reinforcing that case.
After all, adding the WTA to its roster only solidifies the stature of the tournament, proving that a two-week festival of tennis is more than possible without the standard of the surface deteriorating.
Already many saw Queen’s as one of the best events on the entire calendar, with it routinely being voted as the best ATP 500-level event.
But with this year’s addition of the women too, it only goes from strength to strength.
If people and players continue to lobby for a grass-court Masters tournament, surely this London-based one will be top of the list for a well-earned upgrade.
