Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter thrilled a packed court one with a winning doubles debut, but fans and viewers were left fuming after the BBC failed to show it live.

British tennis fans erupted in frustration on Monday after the BBC failed to broadcast Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter’s much-anticipated doubles debut at Queen’s. Despite the historic pairing of Britain’s No 1 and No 2 women’s players, their match went largely unseen, relegated to a secondary court and given only fleeting coverage on national TV.

Raducanu and Boulter claimed an emphatic 6-4, 6-2 win against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu, but their performance unfolded away from Centre Court and out of view for most of the public. While BBC Two focused on Sonay Kartal’s singles tie against Daria Kasatkina, viewers eager to see the British doubles dream team had to settle for brief highlights or digital updates.

Fans at the Queen’s Club in London were left stunned. The match wasn’t staged on the newly renamed 7,700-seat Andy Murray Arena, but on the far smaller Court One, which holds just 1,000. As crowds swelled around the court, some ticket-holders to Centre Court tried peering from higher vantage points, desperate to catch a glimpse of the duo in action.

“I was outraged,” said one disappointed fan. “I bought a Centre Court ticket expecting to see them. Instead, we were told we couldn’t leave our seats to go watch them and wouldn’t be allowed back in if we did.”

The BBC, when contacted, explained that it could only broadcast one live feed from Queen’s, and it prioritised Kartal’s singles clash. “We provided regular updates on Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter’s doubles match on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website,” the broadcaster said. “Our TV coverage at Queen’s covers one court with one feed.”

But the lack of live visuals didn’t sit well with many fans, who expected full coverage of Britain’s top players, especially given the growing appetite for women’s sport. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), meanwhile, found itself trapped by WTA broadcast agreements. The WTA requires four singles matches per day on Centre Court to meet contractual obligations, leaving no space for doubles — even with marquee names like Raducanu and Boulter involved.

The match started without any major cameras in place. Not until midway through the second set did a large TV camera appear beside the court in a standing media area. By that point, Court One had reached standing-room-only levels, while fans clung to fences and stairwells to watch.

Despite the off-court controversy, Raducanu and Boulter remained positive. The pair, who had never played doubles together before, clearly relished the experience. Raducanu later said she enjoyed the intimacy of the smaller venue.

“You really feel the crowd on courts like that,” she said. “I was filling up my bottle and having a chat with someone in the stands. It’s that close. The support felt amazing.”

Still, she acknowledged the dream of stepping onto the main arena. “Hopefully we’ll get to play on the Andy Murray Arena for our matches tomorrow.”

The match marked a significant moment in British tennis — the country’s two leading women teaming up just ahead of Wimbledon. But for many, the moment slipped through their fingers, untelevised and away from the grand stage it deserved.

If Monday was anything to go by, fans will demand better for Raducanu and Boulter’s next outing. They’ve made a winning start — it’s time the coverage caught up