Members of the exclusive Queen's Club in west London are demanding answers from the club's board regarding the alleged improper dismissal of two revered coaches, Dr. Floyd Williams and Andrej Jankov.
Williams, a former Wimbledon qualifier, and Jankov, who has been at the club since 2002, have reportedly been let go with members citing a lack of transparency and adherence to club procedures. Members, who pay a £15,000 joining fee and annual subscriptions of £2,000, have expressed their dissatisfaction in a letter to the board, stating that their individual inquiries have been met with either no response or a generic reply asserting that the decisions followed "due care and consideration."
The letter further alleges that the club's own published minutes from January 2024, which outline procedures requiring board discussion and approval for dismissals, record no such deliberation concerning Williams and Jankov. Members also claim that the announcement of their departures on June 30 misrepresented dismissals as voluntary departures, with notice periods allegedly cut from eight weeks to four.
In response to the situation, the members' letter outlines three demands: to suspend the termination date of July 21, to commission an independent review into how the decision was made, and to provide members with an honest account of the circumstances. Critics warn that a failure by the board to respond positively to these demands by July 20 could lead to an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) being called to address the concerns directly with the membership.
Queen's Club, known for its high-profile members including Prince William and Catherine, and past tennis events such as the HSBC WTA Championships where Emma Raducanu competed, has not officially commented on the matter. However, a spokesman for the club indicated that the board maintains "due process" was followed. The club's elite status and the significant financial commitment required of its members underscore the gravity of the current dissent.