Au revoir to the French Open and two breathtaking finals as a truly memorable clay court tennis season finished on the highest of highs.
All attention now turns to Queen’s, Nottingham, Eastbourne and Birmingham as play switches to grass in preparation for Wimbledon, which starts at the end of the month.
Three princesses of British tennisare in action in the HSBC Championship at Barons Court in West London on Tuesday with Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Heather Watson all in action as the WTA returns to Queen’s for the first time in 52 years.
It has almost been as long since the last British woman triumphed at the All England Championships with Virginia Wade delighting the Centre Court crowd with her victory over Betty Stove way back in 1977 when the nation was singing along to God Save The Queen in one form or another.
It’s a long shot for that long stretch to be ended this year with Raducanu’s best efforts in SW17 being her fourth-round appearances last year and in 2021, just months before capturing the hearts of the nation with her sensational US Open victory.
British No.1 Boulter battled her way to the third round in 2022 and 2023 and Watson, still gamely plugging away at 33, enjoyed her best showing at the third grand slam when she advanced to the last 16 three years ago.
Queen’s Club odds
They will be the centre of attention when they make their Queen’s debuts and will receive fervent and passionate backing from the home crowd with Raducanu 10/1 fourth favourite for the title with Betway while Boulter is 28/1 with William Hill and Sky Bet.
Raducanu begins her campaign against 27-year-old Spaniard Cristina Bucsa and is 5/6 with bet365 to win in straight sets while Boulter is 13/10 with Betway to beat Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the same manner, even though the Croatian-born right-hander reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in both 2021 and 2022.
Watson, however, is likely to bow out after being drawn against Russia’s Yulia Putintseva, who reached the fourth-round at Wimbledon last year and is 5/4 with bet365 to win in straight sets.
Two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys will lift the trophy on Sunday at 4/1 with William Hill, Betfair, Paddy Power and Sky Bet although 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina is a huge danger.
Next Brentford manager odds
Thomas Frank’s appointment as the new Tottenham Hotspur manager appears to be a done deal and the Bees are already seeking his replacement.
Justin Cochrane, Frank’s lieutenant, is the 4/7 favourite with Bet Victor to land the job but he may follow his boss across London and Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna is 5/1 with the same firm to land the Brentford role following the Tractor Boys’ relegation.
• Jos Buttler has been in fine form with the bat and is 5/1 with Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair to be England’s top scorer when they chase a T20 clean sweep in the three-game series against the West Indies at Southampton.