HSBC CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 9, 2025

Katie Boulter

Emma Raducanu

Queens Club

Press Conference

BOULTER-RADUCANU/Jiang-Wu

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: First time playing doubles. Katie, talk about your experience playing with Emma today.

KATIE BOULTER: Obviously very pleased to get Emma's first win on the board for doubles (smiling). Yeah, I thought we played some very good tennis, considering it's our first time playing. I thought the level was really high. Very happy to get our first grass court win this year.

THE MODERATOR: Emma?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, for me, I was actually very nervous before the match. I don't know if Katie could tell. But probably more nervous than the singles, because I just didn't really necessarily know what to do, but I'm really happy once we got out there. Katie made me feel so comfortable, and I'm just so pleased to get a win on the board.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. There was lots of smiles on the court today. Is this like a Queen's preparation thing, or could this be a Wimbledon doubles thing?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, we haven't spoken about it. It kind of came spontaneously, like all things do with us, but it went pretty well. We're just going to keep trying to do as best as we can this week and take it from there.

KATIE BOULTER: Scrap what she said. We're going for the Wimbledon title. (Laughter.)

No, I'm just kidding. We haven't talked about it, okay?

Q. How did this doubles partnership come about? When did you decide to do it together? What made you both sort of want it so much at Queen's?

EMMA RADUCANU: Tell them about Madrid, 10 minutes before signing?

KATIE BOULTER: Oh, yeah. We were talking about it. We have had a few.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, we have had a few close calls.

KATIE BOULTER: Close calls. Madrid, Miami.

EMMA RADUCANU: Madrid, Miami, Paris potential.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah.

EMMA RADUCANU: But yeah, I think on the grass, it's a very quick change to grass from clay, and it's a very different surface. So I think it helps us to try and get a feel for serving, returning, and playing some live points.

But then, yeah, obviously, like, we are playing Billie Jean King Cup, and we want to put ourselves in the best position possible. So for us, as well, to kind of get some matches on the court together is just good preparation for that, too.

Q. What are the parts of your game that you think complement each other?

KATIE BOULTER: I think we both serve and return very well, and we both have great volleys. I feel like if one of us hits a good ball, we're both capitalizing on that. So naturally I already feel a lot more confident that Emma is going to put the ball away if I've hit a good shot.

I feel like we are always going to keep making it very tough for the opponents. Yeah, I feel comfortable.

Q. Your back looked fine today, Emma. Just quickly on that. And, Katie, talk about the atmosphere. It was a queue for an hour to get in. Lots of people wanted to see you guys play.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it was good to test it out and see how it goes in the match. And I have been managing it, and I think I will continue to. Hopefully it stays in good shape for tomorrow.

KATIE BOULTER: And also, yeah, that's really nice to hear. I didn't know that info. I knew there were a few people outside waiting to watch.

It's really nice to feel the support from everyone here. Just to have both Brits on the court, as well, we feel it so much more. The atmosphere was pretty fun to play in for us.

Q. Was it nice being on the smaller court? Obviously today the big story is it's Andy Murray Arena, but because you have less experience playing doubles together, did it feel like less pressure being there, or did it feel like more pressure being on the massive stadium, or...

EMMA RADUCANU: I think sometimes on the smaller courts you get a bigger feel for the match and the atmosphere and the environment because it's a lot closer, more intimate, and you hear the support more.

For me, I love playing on those smaller, outside courts where you really feel the support and the crowd gets into it. I was filling my bottle up, and I was literally having a chat in the stands, because that's how close it is. But I think it puts a really nice feel to it.

Yeah, then Andy Murray Arena, hopefully we'll get to play on it for our matches tomorrow.