"The women have sort of done that job for the men": Why Frances Tiafoe says WTA made Queen’s safer for ATP stars

Monday, 16 June 2025 at 17:00

For the first time in over half a century, women’s singles returned to the Queen’s Club Championships, and it may have had an unexpected benefit for the men’s game.

In a historic first, the 2025 Queen’s Club Championships opened with a WTA 500 event. Germany’s Tatjana Maria shocked the tennis world by winning the title in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over the USA's Amanda Anisimova, becoming the first woman in 52 years to lift the singles trophy at Queen’s.

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While Maria’s victory stole headlines, it also quietly benefitted the ATP stars arriving this week.

Speaking to former British No. 2 Naomi Broady during the women’s final, world number 13 Frances Tiafoe revealed that he welcomed the WTA event being held before the men’s tournament: especially from a safety standpoint.

Broady said on The Tennis Podcast’s broadcast on Tennis Channel, "I actually bumped into Frances Tiafoe who was out watching the women’s final just now and asked him how the grass were looking, because of course it’s a live surface so to have the tournaments back-to-back I was quite curious how the men would feel about it,".

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The Brit elaborated stating: "Frances actually says he prefers it, because the grass of course is known to be quite slippery behind the baseline in the first couple of days as it plays it in, so the women have sort of done that job for the men. So, I think we are going to see fingers crossed fewer slips and falls.".

Tiafoe’s take is a refreshing shift from the usual pre-tournament worries about grass deterioration. Grass courts, especially in the early rounds, can be treacherously slick—leading to injuries and unpredictable movement. However, with several rounds of WTA action already in the books, the courts at Queen’s might now be safer and more stable underfoot for the ATP competitors.

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The seventh seed kicks off his campaign against British wildcard Dan Evans in the first round on Monday, June 16. The two have met ten times before, with Tiafoe leading the head-to-head 6-4, though this will be their first-ever meeting on grass.

Should he gets past Evans, the American could face big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Brandon Nakashima in the second round. A blockbuster quarter-final looms with second seed and British No. 1 Jack Draper, depending on how both fare.

While the presence of both tours at Queen’s initially raised concerns about court wear, Tiafoe’s comments suggest the early grass grinding by the WTA might actually benefit players like him, especially those who thrive on rhythm and aggressive baseline play.

If it means safer conditions, more fan engagement, and historic breakthroughs like Maria’s, it may just be the future of combined events.

Sean Killen

Sean Killen is a contributing journalist for both DartsNews.com and Tennisuptodate.com, where he balances his university studies with writing news updates, player features, and match reports across both sports.

Before joining the sites, Sean built experience across student and professional media. He serves as TV News Director for Cardiff University TV (CUTV), has reported for Gair Rhydd and The Cardiff Times, and produced viral news coverage that gained international attention. His reporting spans sports, breaking news, and human-interest features, and he’s worked across platforms including print, online, radio, and video.

Sean has followed the ATP and WTA tennis tours closely for years, with a growing interest in darts through the Premier League and World Championship circuits. He brings a sharp eye for storytelling, a commitment to accuracy, and a passion for making niche sports accessible to wider audiences.

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