The HSBC Championships WTA 500 Preview: Queen Navarro!

The road to Wimbledon begins on Monday with a stop at the historic Queens Club for the HSBC Championships. 

Three former Wimbledon champions, and also reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, will vie for the 500 points against the likes of hometown hero Emma Raducanu when the tour returns to Queens Club after a 52-year absence.

Join me as I preview and offer a betting prediction for the HSBC Championships on Monday, June 9.

The HSBC Championships Bracket

HSBC Championships Betting Odds by FanDuel

The HSBC Championships Preview

Qinwen Zheng’s HSBC Championships Quarter 

No. 1 seed Qinwen Zheng is in the same quarter as defending Wimbledon champ Barbora Krejcikova. 

2021 US Open champ and local favorite Emma Raducanu is also in this loaded quarter. 

Possible sleepers: McCartney Kessler, Emma Raducanu. 

Emma Navarro’s HSBC Championships Quarter

No. 3 seed Emma Navarro could meet Amanda Anisimova in the second HSBC Championships quarterfinal. 

Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Daria Kasatkina are also featured in Navarro’s stacked quarter. 

Possible Sleepers: Beatriz Hadad Maia. 

Karolina Muchova’s HSBC Championships Quarter

No. 6 seed Karolina Muchova heads the bottom half of the bracket, potentially facing 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. 

This challenging section also features 2021 US Open finalist Leyla Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva, alongside Muchova and Rybakina.

Possible Sleepers: Heather Watson.

Madison Keys  HSBC Championships Quarter

No. 2 seed Madison Keys could force a quarterfinal showdown with Diana Shnaider.  

Donna Vekic and hometown favorite Katie Boulter are also in the Keys quarter. 
Possible Sleepers: Magdalena Frech, Ajla Tomljanovic.

Phil Naessens HSBC Championships Betting Analysis

This field boasts three former Wimbledon champs in the main draw, and only Rybakina is playing well enough to win.

Rybakina seems to have gotten past a slow start with a Strasbourg title and a French Open Round of 16 finish under her belt.

Her draw is manageable. She’ll likely face local favorite Watson in the second round, and then a winnable quarter with Muchova. She’s 1-0 against the former and 1-1 against the latter, but should get through.

Keys should be Rybakina’s semi-final opponent. The only obstacle in her path is the 2024 Bad Homburg champion Shnaider, and I would lean towards Schnaider in this one.

Raducanu should be the favorite to win this event, but she hasn’t reached a final in nearly four years. Zheng is 3-8 lifetime on grass, and Krejcikova is 1-2 this season, coming off a long injury layoff.

McCartney Kessler could make a good run against these gals. The 2024 Wimbledon qualifier has a .500 record in her two finals appearances this season and could catch the bigger names napping.

I like Navarro to win the HSBC Championships.

The 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinalist possesses a consistent game that suits the grass well. She’s likely chomping at the bit to get back on court after her opening round loss at Roland Garros, and her draw is more than manageable.

She can run through her quarter, and she can beat anyone in Zheng’s section, Raducanu, and Krejikova. She’s 2-1 lifetime against Keys, and 0-2 against Rybakina, but I like Navarro’s chances against either Grand Slam champion.

Phil Naessens HSBC Championships prediction: Emma Navarro (+1600 at FanDuel)