Last Updated on June 19, 2023
This week begins the grass season in one of the most iconic tournaments of the ATP World Tour.
The Cinch Championship, the tournament which is the kick off of the grass season, is played in The Queen’s Club, a private club located in the heart of West Kensington, 7 km west of Central London, and just a few minute’s walk from Baron Court tube station.
The tournament has been played there since 1890. This year, it’s going to have its 119th edition. At the beginning, in 1881, it was played at the London Athletic Club Tournament, located in Stamford Bridge, Fulham. The competition was interrupted during World War I and World II, and between 1974-76.
His last single winner was Italian Mateo Berrettini. The maximum winner of the tournament is British Andy Murray, with five titles. In doubles, the winners of the 2021 edition were the Frenches Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who defeated Reilly Opelka and John Peers in the final match. There used to be a women’s tournament, but it stopped being played in 1973.
The Cinch Championship is going to be played in 2023 from 19 to 25 June. It’s an ATP 500 title category since 2015. It was recognized as the Best ATP 500 Tournament of the Year in 2015-16 and 2018.
For the audience: if it rains less than one hour total non-consecutive play during the day, the LTA will full refund of face value of the court ticket element; if there are 1-2 hours total non-consecutive play during the day, the organization refund the 50% of face value of the court ticket element.
Tournament history
Seven different players have completed The Queen’s Club-Wimbledon double in the same season, including John McEnroe (1981, 1984), Jimmy Connors (1982), Boris Becker (1985), Pete Sampras (1995, 1999), Lleyton Hewitt (2002), Rafael Nadal (2008) and Andy Murray (2013, 2016). Andy Roddick once described the courts as “arguably the best in the world”.
The eight time Wimbledon winner, Roger Federer, had only played this tournament in 1999.
The United States is the country that has contributed the most champions with 33, followed closely by Great Britain with 31 and Australia with 31. All three countries have always had great servers who achieve their best results in the tour of grass.
The longest final was played by Pete Sampras and Tim Henman in 1999, after being on the court for two hours and 31 minutes.
Also Read:
- 10 Best Places to Stay Near The Queen’s Club
- Queen’s Club & Cinch Championships 2023: ATP Players And Prize Money Announced In London
- How many courts does the Italian Open have?
- How many courts does Roland Garros have?
Club’s history
Founded as The Queen’s Club Limited on 19 August 1886 by Evan Charteris, George Francis and Algernon Grosvener, it was the world’s second multipurpose sports complex, after the Prince’s Club, and became the world’s only multipurpose sports complex when the Prince’s Club relocated to Knightsbridge and lost its outdoor sports facilities. The club is named after Queen Victoria, its first patron.
It was opened in January 1888, and constructed by the architect William Marschall, who was the finalist of the inaugural 1877 Wimbledon Championship. The building was the venue of the covered courts (indoor) tennis, jeu de paume (real tennis) and rackets events of the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Owners and facilities
The Queen’s Club it’s owned by the club members. In 2007, it was sold to them by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for £35 million, after they both reached an out-of-court settlement. However, the tournament is still organized by the LTA. In order to play tennis at Queen’s Club, you need to be a member.
The Queen’s Club has 27 outdoor courts, 12 of which are made of Grass; six of Shale, five of Plexi, and four of Artificial Grass. It also has 10 indoor courts, an Indoor Practice Wall, two Real Tennis courts, two Rackets courts, three Squash courts and Gymnasium over 1200 sq. ft., which contains the latest Cybex range of equipment; a Fitness Studio for a range of fitness classes, that includes yoga and pilates; two Treatment Rooms, where Members can enjoy massage, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy & Shiatsu; a Junior Club, which has two dedicated indoor courts for aged 6-16 years members, where children can have group lessons, a dining and lounge area homework room, games room and changing rooms; men’s Changing Room with Sauna and Steam Rooms, and Ladies Changing Room that contains Steam Room.
Can anyone apply to be a member of The Queen’s Club?
Since 2019, the Club suspended the acceptance of applications to Full membership for all ages. However, people can still apply for other memberships; nevertheless, they have a long waiting list. For the Off Peak program, you’ll have to wait eight years; for the Real Tennis Rackets and Squash, 1-2years, and just for Squash membership, 6-12 months. When you apply for membership at The Queen’s Club, you will be required to apply separately as an individual applicant.
All applicants must be proposed and seconded by two existing members over 18 years of age, who have been Queen’s Club Members and known the candidate for a minimum of two years. Also, the Proposer and the Seconder should not be members of the same family. The members only can propose or second a total of two candidates in any Club year.
To apply, it is also required of the applicants to provide a minimum of two additional supporting statements from other members who are known as a Supporter. All applicants will be required to purchase a redeemable share upon joining. The share price is currently £15,000, which is subject to change without notice.
