Raducanu and Boulter reunite at Queen’s Club

Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter are set to restart their doubles partnership at the HSBC Championships, bringing back the “Boulter-canu” moments they enjoyed together at The Queen’s Club last year—just as Raducanu looks to find her grass-court rhythm again. Th

For the third morning of grass-season hype, the headline isn’t just about who can serve biggest or swing hardest. It’s about the pair fans want to see together again.

Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter will reunite for doubles at this year’s HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club. reviving their partnership after they made their debut together at the same tournament last year. Raducanu. Britain’s No.1. and Boulter. Britain’s No.3. will once more get a chance to chase matches on grass with the kind of home support that stayed with them after that first run.

“I’m excited to hopefully do it again this year and the opportunity to play with her on a home court,” Raducanu said when speaking to the press ahead of the HSBC Championships.

She described how much the event meant in their debut: “It’s really nice to play with Katie. We try to make Queen’s our tournament that we play together. I don’t play doubles very often. but the experience last year was really fun.” Raducanu added that the atmosphere felt different because they weren’t just there to compete—they were backed. “We had a full Court 1 watching and supporting us and it was really fun.”.

Boulter echoed that sense of comfort and momentum, calling Queen’s “the perfect place” to build her grass schedule. “For the moment. Queen’s is the perfect place for us to get some matches and some time on the grass. I really enjoyed my time last year playing with her; it was super fun. but also we both really wanted to win and had one goal in mind.”.

That competitive spark matters for Raducanu in particular. She is still working to recover the kind of form that carried her to her first WTA final since the 2021 US Open earlier this season. But she’s also had a lengthy spell on the sidelines. returning often enough to reach the final couple of events during the clay court swing.

Now, on grass, she says she is aiming to play with more aggression—something she believes can suit the surface and the way points begin.

“A lot starts from the beginning of the point with serving and returning,” Raducanu said. “I think that’s highlighted on the grass courts, so it’s working on the quality of the shot for those two would be where I’d start. It’s what I’ve been working on for the last couple of weeks on the grass.”

Raducanu said time away from competing has changed how she thinks about preparation. explaining that she took lessons from a stretch that included playing in Strasbourg and then moving on to the French. “I took a long time away from competing. so from Strasbourg to the French. it did teach me a few things that I can hopefully take into the grass season.” She added she hasn’t had many matches leading up to the grass season. but has stuck to what she can control every day. “I haven’t had many matches leading up to it, but I’ve been doing what I can day-to-day. That’s all I can ask of myself.”.

For Boulter, returning to Queen’s isn’t just a tactical reset. It’s a personal one. The 29-year-old—who is a two-time former Lexus Nottingham Open champion—said the grass season pulls her back to the earliest version of herself as a player.

“When you go into a grass season, it takes me back to my childhood,” Boulter said. “I think that’s one of the most familiar feelings that really makes me feel great about myself.”

She described what that familiarity does to her state of mind: “It takes me back to where I first started and it very much grounds me. To be out there on the lawn playing and enjoying myself really does resonate with me as a child. That’s why I have so much fun.”

“I’m really happy to be back at Queen’s – what an iconic tournament. It’s a pleasure to be here a second year in a row and I’m really looking forward to getting going and starting my grass court campaign,” she added.

Singles brings its own pressures, though. Raducanu will begin her campaign facing a qualifier in the opening round. Boulter, meanwhile, has been drawn against former US Open finalist and world No.22 Leylah Fernandez. Even with the close gap on the calendar. the rankings gap is stark—nearly 50 places separates the two—but Boulter believes grass experience can matter at the moment the match begins.

“I played her in Billie Jean King Cup in Malaga. I remember it being a very high level from both of us. We both bring some great intensity out of each other,” Boulter said. She knows the challenge is steep: “Playing an established player straight off the bat is never going to be easy. I’m playing someone seeded, someone I shouldn’t beat.”.

Still, she framed it as a chance to lean into what she knows: “I think it’s an opportunity for me as someone who has spent a lot of time on the grass courts to try and bring some experience to that match.”

Boulter praised Fernandez’s talent and character. saying. “She’s made the final of a Slam. she’s a fantastic player and she’s also a lovely human as well. I like her a lot.” Then came the simplest promise before Monday arrives: “She’s going to bring her best to the court. I’ll bring mine. and I’m excited for a challenge.”.

The HSBC Championships get underway from Monday 8 June, with the action live across the BBC and its digital services.

HSBC Championships 2026 Queen's Club Emma Raducanu Katie Boulter Boulter-canu Leylah Fernandez Wimbledon doubles partnership grass court season