Queen's Club Championships: countdown to Wimbledon starts now

First held in 1890, the Queen's Club Championships is one of tennis' oldest and most prestigious tournaments. Save for Wimbledon – for which it serves as a warm-up event – Queen's is the sport's top grass court event and one of most coveted trophies in the tennis calendar. 

Queen's Club 2018 lineup: Nadal announces Queen's returns

British tennis fans will be hoping that legendary Queen's Club champion Andy Murray is fit enough to return from the hip injury that has hampered him throughout 2017 and 2018. Murray won a record fifth Queen's title in 2016, taking him above seven men who have won four singles titles; Major Ritchie, Anthony Wilding, Roy Emerson, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick.

2008 Queen's champion Rafael Nadal – no stranger to injuries himself – has announced that he will take part in 2018. The Spaniard's return marks 10 years since he beat Novak Djokovic (who will also play at Queen's in 2018) 7-6, 7-5 to lift the trophy as part of an historic French Open-Queen's-Wimbledon treble.

"I am very excited to communicate that I am going to come to Queen's in 2018," said Nadal. "It is going to be the 10th anniversary of my victory in 2008, it’s a great memory, winning there and three weeks later winning Wimbledon. It was an unforgettable year. I am very excited to be coming back and playing Queen’s again."

Queen's Club 2018: biggest names prepare for Wimbledon

Former champion Grigor Dimitrov, last year's runner up Marin Čilić, and Queen's regular Stan Wawrinka should make an appearance if fit, but reigning Wimbledon champion Roger Federer is likely to make other plans ahead of SW19. Big hitters Nick Kyrgios, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Milos Raonic have yet to declare their plans. 

The current champion is Spain's Feliciano López, who beat Marin Čilić 4–6, 7–6, 7–6 to win his first title in 2017. In the doubles, meanwhile, Jamie Murray and Brazilian partner Bruno Soares are likely to defend the title they won last year (beating Julien Benneteau and Édouard Roger-Vasselin in the final 6–2, 6–3) while the Bryan brothers will go in search of their sixth Queen's title. 

Make sure you’re there to see the giants of the tennis world go head-to-head by getting your 2018 Queen's Club Championships tickets at StubHub UK today.

More live tennis tickets

After buying Queen's Club tennis tickets at StubHub UK, check out listings for the sport's other top events, including the Nitto ATP Finals and the Davis Cup.