With the recent celebration of the Wimbledon Championships, many people are wondering if there are similar annual events around England. The Queens Club Championships, otherwise known as the Cinch Championships, is considered a warm-up for the Wimbledon tournament and boasts a roster of some of the world’s leading tennis faces. Here is a quick guide to everything you need to know to have the best experience at The Queen’s Club Championships – from a bit of its history to food and drink within the event.
The Queen’s Club Championships is an annual tournament for male tennis players sponsored by the online car-selling website Cinch since 2021 and is one of the longest-running tennis tournaments on the ATP World Tour. This event is held every year in June. It starts one week after the clay-court French Open and concludes one week before the start of the grass-court Wimbledon Championships.
HISTORY
The Cinch Championships were initially established in 1881 under the name of the London Athletic Club Open Tournament in Stamford Bridge, Fulham and was both a men’s and women’s event. In 1890 the location was changed to The Queen’s Club, just a few miles from the All England Lawn Tennis Club. In 1973, the women were included in the event for the final time, and it has now become a men’s only event, known as The Queen’s Club Championships. Nowadays, this event is an ATP Tour 500 series tournament and was upgraded from an ATP World Tour 250 series in 2015. The tournament was voted ATP Tournament of the Year for several years in the last decade. Since 1979, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray (twice) have all won both The Queen’s Club Championships and The Wimbledon Championships in the same year.
TICKETS, PRICING AND TIME
Tickets for the tournament are available from lta.org.uk, the official British Tennis website. There are two essential windows to buy tickets, including the priority sale and the general sale. To have access to the priority window, you must be an Advantage Compete and Fan+ member. In 2022, the priority window to buy tickets was from March 22-27, and the general sale ran from March 29. Ticket prices vary according to their category:
Center Court: There are two categories of seats available for Center Court: premium and standard. For the first-round matches, Center Court tickets for the standard category will cost you between £65 and £95, depending on the row and date chosen. As for the Premium Queen’s Club, Tickets are priced at £115 on the first day and £125 on the second day.
Grounds Admission: In this category, there are two seats: Admission includes Unreserved Court 1 and evening admission. Prices for Admission, including Unreserved Court 1, are between £10-£30 depending on the day. The costs for Evening admission are between £10-£15. Tickets for the Queens Club Championships, 2023 are expected to be available next year. So if you want to save a spot for the next event, keep an eye out for ticket sales from around February / March onwards.
HOW TO GET TO THE QUEEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS: TRAVEL AND PARKING
If you are wondering how to get to the event, first of all, you have to know that it takes place at The Queen’s Club in West Kensington, London. Secondly, keep in mind that the tournament has two entrances: Palliser Road ( W14 9EQ) and Perham Road (W14 9SP). Here are all the available options so you can arrive successfully and on time for the event.
By car
We do not recommend driving as there is no parking available on-site at The Queen’s Club. The best option would be to take public transport.
By London Underground
The nearest tube station to the Palliser Road entrance is Barons Court (Piccadilly and District lines). The nearest tube station to the Perham Road entrance is West Kensington (District Line).
By bus
The local bus routes are 9, 10, 27, 28, 74,190, 295 and 391. Remember, you can use contactless for pay-as-you-go travel on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line and most National Rail services in London.
By bike
If cycling is an option for you, you may be interested to know that the nearest cycle parking stand is located in Margravine Gardens, close to Barons Court Underground station.
HOSPITALITY
If you want to elevate your tennis experience at The Queen’s Club Championships event, consider booking packages offered within the event that will see you enjoy fine dining and carefully selected and crafted beverages in the luxurious outdoor and indoor venues. Keith Prowse, the official hospitality partner of the Cinch Championships, offers a wide range of hospitality options to suit all needs, tastes and prices. Here are the packages and the options that the event offers:
Love Fifteen
This package offers a unique experience at the rustic Restaurant, Love Fifteen, located on the ground floor of the Southern Pavilion and close to Center Court for groups of any size. The daily price ranges from £415PP + VAT to £605PP + VAT. This includes:
- 3-course dining in a rustic, tennis-themed restaurant
- Complimentary bar of selected wines, Pimm’s and beer
- Official Center Court East Stand tickets
Roof Garden
This package offers a unique experience on the Outdoor Terrace overlooking the practice courts and Queen’s Club with live music. Roof Garden offers four different packages: an individual place from £585PP + VAT to £1,094PP + VAT, a private box of 8 with prices from £5,160PU + VAT to £9,240PU + VAT, a private box of 10 from £6,450PU + VAT to £11,550PU + VAT, and a private box of 12 from £7,740PU + VAT to £13,860PU + VAT. All prices include:
- 3-course dining with self-serve dining options
- Complimentary bar of selected wines, Pimm’s and beer
- Official Center Court tickets
Club Lounge
This package offers an award-winning fine dining experience with access to an outdoor Terrace overlooking the practice courts & Queen’s Club and a private walkway to Center Court seats, as well as the benefit of prime located Center Court tickets, which are positioned at the baseline. The price per day ranges from £775PP + VAT to £1,295PP + VAT and includes:
- Gourmet 5-course tasting menu
- Vintage and rosé Champagne, fine wines and cocktails
- An intimate, luxurious lounge setting
- Premium Center Court tickets
- Private tables for 2 or more
- Private section of a roof terrace to relax and unwind
- Q&A with current tennis players
- Official Souvenir Program The Presi
The President’s room
This package offers an unforgettable experience on a balcony overlooking Center Court within the prestigious and historic Clubhouse. The President’s room offers two options: a private table of 10 with prices from £7,450PU + VAT to £14,850PU + VAT, and a private table of 12 with prices from £8,940PU + VAT to £17,820PU + VAT. These prices include:
- Canapé reception and 3-course lunch
- Champagne reception and a complimentary bar throughout the day
- A traditional and exclusive restaurant located within the Queen’s Clubhouse
- Official seating on the Royal Box Balcony
The real tennis Dedans
This package offers a private and exclusive experience for 12 guests and is described as a room with a view. The style of the room reflects the history of Real Tennis and provides an ideal environment for entertaining. The price per day (per unit) starts from £6,900PU + VAT up to £14,160PU + VAT. This includes the following:
- Exclusive facility located in Queen’s Clubhouse Pavilion
- 3-course lunch and a complimentary bar throughout, including a Champagne reception
- Unique rooms decorated with Real Tennis history
- Official Center Court North Stand seating
The Real Tennis museum
This package offers a private and exclusive space for 12 guests in a room that reflects the history of Real Tennis and provides an ideal environment for entertaining. Prices and what is included are the same as ‘The Real Tennis Dedans’.
FOOD AND DRINK
Fortunately, you’re allowed to bring in any outside food or non-alcoholic drinks and enjoy them at your seat or in the designated picnic areas around the site. This is great to remember if you don’t want to spend extra money on food during the tournament. You are also allowed to bring in a refillable water bottle as free water bottle-filling stations are available around the grounds to ensure spectators keep hydrated during their time at the Championships. On the other hand, whether you fancy a quick snack, drink, or coffee, the Queen’s Club has plenty of bars and cafés around the site. Do bear in mind that these tend to close 30 minutes after the end of the play or at 9 pm – whichever falls earlier. For a more luxurious experience, you can book a table at The Restaurant on the first floor of the Court 1 Pavilion, which serves seasonal dishes full of flavour and style with elegant table service. The formal dining space offers a two-course set menu, as well as a British line-up of savoury and sweet options for afternoon tea. Lunch is priced at £62 per person, and afternoon tea is priced at £29 per person. We’d advise you to ensure you book a table in advance as the Restaurant is very popular and can get very busy. Now that you’re armed with the basics, it’ll be easy for you to get to and around the Queen’s Club Championships. All you need to do is put your sunglasses on and enjoy a day of incredible tennis to get you in the Wimbledon spirit!
CHECK ALSO THIS EVENT…
The Aceify Cup is an annual event held on the eve of Wimbledon at the Parsons Green Club, Fulham. This event gives you the best experience by not only enjoying the ‘now vs next’ exhibition match but also giving you the opportunity to play with the world’s leading tennis faces. Enjoy the best tennis environment with champagne on ice and a gourmet three-course lunch while listening to celebrities’ experiences. In its inaugural year of 2022, the Aceify Cup had a great success giving guests the opportunity to get on the court with famous tennis faces and having a successful charity auction with the famous tennis player Elina Svitolina. The tickets for the Aceify Cup 2023 are available now on our website. Don’t miss the opportunity of gathering with the most legendary names in tennis!
