Visibility for women’s tennis and helping the push towards equality were major drivers of the event returning for the first time since 1973

LONDON (Reuters) -German veteran Tatjana Maria defied the odds to move into the biggest final of her career when she stunned second seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3 7-6(3) at the Queen's Club Championships on Saturday.

This time a year ago, British observers at Queen’s Club crossed their fingers and hoped for the best as Jack Draper faced defending champion and super-talent Carlos Alcaraz in the last 16. It was an unenviable draw, to say the least.

Tatjana Maria knocked off four Top 20 players in a row to capture her first WTA 500 title at the HSBC Championships. She becomes the oldest titlist on tour since Serena Williams in 2020.

From packed crowds, British feel-good energy and 'Boultucanu' - how did the first women's Queen's event for 52 years unfold?

Emma Raducanu is out of Queen’s Club after falling to a 6-2 6-4 defeat to the Olympic champion and top seed Qinwen Zheng. The new British No 1 squandered a double-break advantage in the second set as Zheng six of the final seven games to book her place in the semi-finals.

The former US Open champion will surpass Katie Boulter, who was knocked out by Diana Shnaider in the last eight. She won the first set but allowed her Russian opponent to fight back and claim a 2-6 6-3 6-2 victory. It means Raducanu will return to the summit of British tennis for the first time in two years when the rankings are updated on Monday.