Donna Vekic v Emma Raducanu Prediction, Tips and Bet Builder

Emma Raducanu came through a gruelling Saturday schedule at the Queen's Club Championships to set up a showdown with Donna Vekic in Sunday's final.

British number one Raducanu had to play both her quarter-final and semi-final match at the Andy Murray Arena on Saturday, overcoming both Kamilla Rakhimova and Iva Jovic in straight sets in a show of great physical and mental strength.

How much that has taken out of her remains to be seen, with opponent Vekic, who came through her own two-match slog on Friday, having a far easier time of it in her semi-final, dispatching Raducanu's compatriot Katie Boulter 6-1 6-3.

Donna Vekic v Emma Raducanu Tips Summary

Best Bet - Donna Vekic to win @ 6/5
Alternative Bet - First set total games - Over 9.5 @ 5/6
Bet Builder - Donna Vekic to win from behind & Emma Raducanu 3+ Double Faults @ 17/2

Donna Vekic v Emma Raducanu Prediction

Best Bet: Donna Vekic to win @ 6/5

Raducanu has enjoyed an impressive week in front of her home crowd at Queen's, reaching her first WTA Tour final on grass and only her second on any surface since her memorable US Open win nearly five years ago.

Her efforts in beating Rakhimova, against whom she suffered an injury scare, and highly-rated teenager Jovic on Saturday were particularly impressive, although she was made to work a lot harder than the 6-2 6-2 scoreline suggests against the latter.

Getting time on court has been important for Raducanu, who came into this week having only played six matches at WTA Tour level since the Australian Open at the start of the year, but a showdown with former top-20 player Vekic, who appears to have rediscovered her own form this week, may be a step too far.

Croatian ace Vekic showed plenty of grit and determination to overcome former world number one Karolina Pliskova in three sets in her quarter-final on Friday, but her efforts against Boulter were arguably more impressive.

The former Wimbledon semi-finalist showed she can handle being the pantomime villain against a home crowd as she not only beat Boulter in just 66 minutes, but she dropped only six points on her serve in the match.

If a more refreshed Vekic can match those same levels on Sunday, she could be celebrating a fifth WTA Tour title and first on grass since beating another Brit, Johanna Konta, in the Nottingham Open final nine years ago.

Alternative Bet: First set total games - Over 9.5 @ 5/6

Raducanu may need to make a fast start if she is to stand any chance of winning this match, but she could find it tough to break the Vekic serve.

Vekic did not face a single break point in her victory over Boulter and she has won the first set in all four of her matches on her way through to this final, including holding her nerve to take the opener in a tie break against Marie Bouzkova in the second round.

Raducanu has also served well this week, including against Jovic in the semi-finals when she did not face a break point in the first set before she dug in during the second, saving four of the five break points the American created.

If both players can serve as well as they did in their respective semi-finals then this could be a closely-fought first set with few break-point opportunities being up for grabs.

Donna Vekic v Emma Raducanu Bet Builder Tip

• Donna Vekic to win from behind
• Emma Raducanu 3+ Double Faults
  
  Pays 17/2

After coming through two testing matches on Saturday, Raducanu is bound to be feeling the effects heading into this final, especially given her relative lack of playing time so far this season.

The 23-year-old's best chance of winning the match will likely be to try and get the job done as quickly as possible, and with a rapturous home support behind her at the Andy Murray Arena, she may be able to get off to a flyer.

However, Vekic proved she can handle the pressure against another home favourite in Boulter and the vastly experienced 29-year-old is unlikely to panic if she does go a set behind.

With the fresher legs, Vekic to win from behind looks a solid way to start this bet builder, and if the match does go to a deciding set, that increases the pressure on Raducanu's serve.

Raducanu only served two double faults in her 6-2 6-2 win over Jovic, but made three, two and five in her first three matches, all of which were won in straight sets.

With Vekic in imperious serving form in the semis and the expectation that this game will go to a deciding set, Raducanu could easily serve down another three.

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Key Match Stats

• Emma Raducanu has made it through to her first WTA Tour final on grass

• Raducanu is bidding to win her first title on the Tour since her memorable US Open success in 2021

• The Briton has yet to drop a set at Queen's this week

• Donna Vekic is a former top-20 player and reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2024

• The Croatian is through to her 15th WTA Tour final and is bidding to land her fourth title

• This will be the first-ever meeting between these two players

Read more tennis betting tips and predictions on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.