Vekic Secures Queen’s Quarter-Final Berth After Marathon Match
Donna Vekic has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships, concluding a remarkable match that spanned approximately 42 hours. The contest, initially suspended on Wednesday evening, finally reached its conclusion on Court 5 on Friday.
Rain Disrupts WTA 500 Schedule
Persistent rain has significantly impacted the schedule of the WTA 500 event, leading to numerous delays and cancellations. Vekic, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, was leading Marie Bouzkova 6-5 in the first set when play was halted on Wednesday night. Hopes for a resumption on Thursday were dashed as the entire day was washed out, with no play possible across the grounds.
Resumption and a Thrilling Tiebreak
The second-round encounter between Vekic and Bouzkova finally recommenced on Friday morning at approximately 11 am on Court 5. Both players demonstrated resilience after the extended break. Bouzkova successfully held her serve to force a tiebreak, which proved to be a dramatic affair with momentum swinging frequently. Vekic initially held a commanding 6-2 lead, creating four set points, but was unable to convert. Bouzkova then had her own opportunity to claim the set, but also fell short. Ultimately, Vekic secured the first set on her seventh set point, winning the tiebreak 11-9.
Vekic Closes Out Victory in Second Set
The first-set triumph provided Vekic with a significant confidence boost, and she capitalized immediately by breaking Bouzkova’s serve at the start of the second set. Despite facing and saving three break points later in the set, and navigating a tightly contested service game to lead 4-2, Vekic managed to secure a decisive break of Bouzkova’s serve once more. This sealed a 7-6(9) 6-3 victory, marking the official end of the match 42 hours after it commenced.
Journey to the Quarter-Finals
The match began around 6:20 pm on Wednesday and was suspended less than an hour later. After resuming on Friday at 11 am, Vekic, ranked World No. 76, officially sealed her win at 12:25 pm. She had previously defeated British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic in the first round, earning her place in the draw after Marta Kostyuk’s withdrawal. Vekic is scheduled to face former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals later on Friday afternoon, with that match set to be played on Court 1.
