By Ros SatarHarriet Dart [WC] v Liudmila SamsonovaKatie Boulter [WC] v Leylah Fernandez [8]Fran Jones [WC] v Laura Siegemund
LONDON, ENGLAND – British summer heralds the grass season, with Harriet Dart, Katie Boultrer and Fran Jones starting their campaigns.
Harriet Dart [WC] v Liudmila Samsonova | H2H & Match FundamentalsHarriet Dart [WC] v Liudmila SamsonovaH2H: Tied at 1-1 (incl. ITF)WTA Queen’s ClubUKGrassPrize Money: $20,160First on Court 5, 12pm BSTAcross BBC 2, iPlayer and BBC Sport Online
Neither Harriet Dart or Liudmila Samsonova have had the best form of late, although both do enjoy the grass. Dart has primarily been on the ITF circuit this year, reaching the finals of Porto and Fujairah ITF tournaments and a smattering of ITF quarter-finals, Dart suffered a first round defeat in the WTA 125 in Birmingham.
Samsonova has had a rougher time on the WTA tour, and has not put together back-to-back wins since February, reaching the Abu Dhabi quarter-final.
The grass brings out the best in Brits, so Dart will feel she wants to turn in a performance for the home crowd. It will be a tough ask for her to oust last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finalist, but could take a set off the Russian
Prediction: Samsonova in three sets.
Katie Boulter [WC] v Leylah Fernandez [8] | H2H & Match FundamentalsKatie Boulter [WC] v Leylah Fernandez [8]H2H: Boulter leads 2-1WTA Queen’s ClubUKGrassPrize Money: $20,160Second on Andy Murray Arena, not before 2:30pmAcross BBC 2, iPlayer and BBC Sport Online
Katie Boulter will be pleased to see the back of the clay court season, with a best showing of the Rouen quarter-final and not much progress from there. She did pick up the Ostrava title earlier this year, but it feels like she needs something to catch light.
Leylah Fernandez started the year pretty dismally with no back-to-back wins until she hit the clay, reaching the quarter-finals in Stuttgart and Madrid, but was bounced out of Roland Garros in the first round.
Like all Brits, Boulter comes alive with the home support and should squeak past the higher ranked Canadian but it might take a three-setter to get there.
Prediction: Boulter in three sets.
Fran Jones [WC] v Laura Siegemund | H2H & Match FundamentalsFran Jones [WC] v Laura SiegemundH2H: Tied at 1-1WTA Queen’s ClubUKGrassPrize Money: $20,160Third on Andy Murray Arena, not before 3pmAcross BBC 2, iPlayer and BBC Sport Online
Francesca Jones at best has had an up-and-down year, with her best results of 2026 coming in the Wiesbaden ITF on the clay, reaching the semi-final before going on to reach the quarter-final in Istanbul. She claimed an emotional win at the French Open but lost in the second round,
On the tour, Laura Siegemund has not put together back-to-back wins until Rome this year, but she might feel buoyed by her run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year. Neither player is particularly in great form, so Jones will be relying on enthusiastic home support.
Prediction: Jones in three sets.
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