UMVA has learned that a dramatic final at Queen's ended in disappointment for Emma Raducanu, as she was beaten by Donna Vekic in a hard-fought match.
Raducanu had declared herself 'back and better' after winning two games on Saturday to reach her first grass-court final, but a long-awaited title continued to evade the British number one.
Vekic dominated the match, taking the first set without dropping a game in a little over half an hour, leaving Raducanu looking increasingly rattled and at one point clashing with her coaching team.
The crowd's attempts to support Raducanu became a point of contention, with some fans cheering when Vekic served a double-fault early on, prompting criticism from former British number one and BBC pundit Annabel Croft.
Croft expressed her disapproval of the partisan fans, saying 'Well I'm not sure they should be clapping the double fault, that's a bit overenthusiastic,' urging a more measured approach from the supporters.
The second set saw more controversy, with a loud yell ringing out in response to what looked to be a Raducanu winner, only for Vekic to return the ball, prompting Croft to remark on the overenthusiasm of some crowd members.
In the end, Vekic emerged victorious, winning the match 6-0 7-6, leaving Raducanu to ponder what might have been in a turbulent final.
