Iva Jovic the latest player to sign up for Queen's Club Championships as she joins Anisimova, Pegula and Raducanu in stacked field

The 2026 WTA Queen's Club Championships already boasts a ridiculously strong lineup with the British fans set for a treat when the event commences from June 8-14. The latest to join its ranks is the teenage sensation Iva Jovic who will be gunning for glory in London in her debut campaign.

It will be a debut venture to Queen's for the American with the women's event relatively new. The women's tournament was held from 1881 to 1973 before it only hosted ATP competitions. This was until last year when the WTA returned to the prestigious tournament.

It was another event that the top players in the world could compete on in the grass swing. Despite all the talent, it was Tatjana Maria who picked up a surprising victory over Amanda Anisimova in straight sets for a first title since 2023 and the first female winner at The Queen’s Club since 1973.

Jovic will be hoping to add herself to this list and continue her fine form in 2026 as she looks to climb the ladder in the very premature stages of her career.

She burst onto the scene last year as someone to keep an eye on, with the pinnacle of her success coming in the Guadalajara Open where she stormed to glory to pick up a maiden WTA title in some fashion.

The 18-year-old predominately competed in WTA 250 events at the start of the year with much success. She was pipped of a spot in the ASB Classic semi-final after losing to the number one seed and eventual champion Elina Svitolina before losing out to Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the Hobart International final. This was a huge surprise, but all of this had confirmed her seeding for a second campaign in the Australian Open.

This was where she turned a lot of heads. Most notably Jasmine Paolini was disposed enroute to the quarterfinal stage where she came a cropper to the world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Now currently ranked world number 18, there is no sign that she is heading anywhere anytime soon. If anything, her form will continue to take her up into the upper echelons of tennis and beyond.

Jovic has already made an impact on grass, showing that it is a good surface for her. She took home her first WTA Challenger title in the form of the Ilkley Open. This form is something that she is desperate to continue when the grass season comes around in June.

"Last year's grass-court season was a special one for me, I won my first WTA 125 title on grass at Ilkley, broke into the top 100, and then qualified for my first Wimbledon main draw," she told the HSBC Championships. "I really enjoy playing on the grass, and I can't wait to be back this year playing at an iconic venue like The Queen's Club for the HSBC Championships."

It will most certainly not be a walk in the park for Jovic. Despite her expertise on grass she will face some very tough opposition. There will be fewer tougher than last year's runner-up Anisimova. The Wimbledon finalist will be hoping to go one better in London as preparations ramp up for the third Grand Slam of the year.

Jessica Pegula will also be someone to keep an eye on after a stunning start to the season. The British crowd will also hold a soft spot for Emma Raducanu who was unfortunate to run into the number one seed Qinwen Zheng last year in the second round.

The WTA 500 event is set to announce more star-studded tennis players eyeing up the trophy in a key tournament to the build up to Wimbledon.