Former British No. 1 Laura Robson has shared her experience and perspective on the inner workings of tennis tournament organization after taking on the role of tournament director for the upcoming WTA 500 event at Queen’s Club in June.
With the reshuffling of grass-court events leading up to Wimbledon, a new addition has emerged – a WTA 500 tournament set to kick off on June 9, just one week before the traditionally scheduled men’s event. This will be the first time since 1973 that women’s tennis returns to Queen’s Club, and several top players, including Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Daria Kasatkina, Katie Boulter, and Emma Raducanu, are already confirmed to play.
Queen’s Club is a beloved venue in tennis, known for its men’s event, which is consistently rated as the players’ favourite ATP 500 tournament each year. Robson, now tasked with replicating that success with the WTA event, is focused on ensuring that the tournament delivers the same level of excitement and enjoyment for the women’s field.
Referring to Charleston, the largest female-only tennis event in North America, Robson commented, “The most popular WTA 500 event is Charleston, and as long as I can do better than them, I’ll be happy.” She emphasized the importance of thoughtful details, such as daily gifts for players and ensuring the availability of practice courts, to keep participants satisfied. “That’s how you can keep players happy, so that’s my No. 1 goal,” Robson added.
With the event being a new addition to the calendar, Robson expressed cautious optimism: “It’s a new event, so you never know how it’s going to go. I’m very positive about it and I think it’s going to be great for the players involved.” However, she acknowledged the logistical challenges posed by the venue, a members’ club that is not accustomed to hosting such large-scale events. “The logistics are very hard because it’s a members club and they are used to having a lot of their own spaces,” she explained. “We have taken over the women’s dressing room for the first time.”
Given the club’s relatively small size, Robson mentioned the need to manage the number of people on-site. “It’s a small club, and that space on site is what it is. We can’t have any more, so we need to limit the amount of people that are there.”
Despite these challenges, Robson is confident about the quality of the courts and the overall experience for the players. “I couldn’t be more confident about the courts. We have made sure we have fewer matches on Centre Court and No. 1 Court, so hopefully that will keep them fresh,” she stated. Robson also noted that the general consensus among players is one of excitement for the new event, adding, “So we will see how it goes.”
Robson, who has also served as the tournament director for the Nottingham grass court event for the past two years, is part of a growing trend of former players taking on leadership roles in tennis tournament organization. Among them is Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray, who will once again lead the LTA’s team for the ATP Tour event at Queen’s Club this summer.
As is tradition, tickets for the ATP event at Queen’s Club are already sold out, with major brands showing significant interest in the hospitality village. Organizers hope that the inclusion of high-profile names like four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, recently crowned Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and British stars Raducanu and Boulter will draw large crowds to the WTA event as well.
This will be a significant test for the interest in women’s tennis, as tickets for the WTA 500 tournament are priced at just £20, making it an attractive option for fans eager to experience top-level women’s tennis at a historic venue. The tournament’s success could mark an exciting new chapter for the women’s game on the grass courts leading into Wimbledon.