After two years overseeing the Nottingham Open, is taking on a new role in tennis, becoming the tournament director for the new WTA 500 event at The Queen's Club.

The men's iteration of the tournament has consistently won the award for best ATP 500, and Robson is keen to achieve the same with the WTA offering.

The retired tennis star knows what it takes for an event to become the players' favourite tournament and told that services like kids' areas and a nail bar were in demand.

A former British No. 1 and Olympic silver medallist, Robson was forced to retire from the sport at a young age due to a hip injury. As well as her punditry work, she became the Nottingham tournament director in 2023, when it was a WTA 250 and ATP Challenger event.

Now, Robson is taking on a new challenge. The with the HSBC Championships, a 500-point event at The Queen's Club, and the 31-year-old is at the helm.

Robson has big ambitions - to have her tournament win the award for best WTA 500. The Charleston Open is currently the players' favourite, and the Brit says it's down to unusual touches like gifting and practice court availability.

On top of the tennis facilities, Robson knows what the players want and shared her plans with Express Sport.

"I think we want to focus this year in particular on the kids' areas that we have in the players' lounge," the new HSBC Championships director said.

"That was something that the ATP side noticed last year that, not just more ATP players are travelling with their children, but also their coaches because a lot of them do stay in housing in this area rather than a hotel, so they want to bring their family along.

"So making sure that's available to them, and especially we know for the WTA Tour that's a huge focus and we want people to feel like everyone can come along. That's going to be a main focus in the players' lounge."

Robson has the luxury of the same amenities already offered at the ATP tournament at Queen's, but she wants to throw in something extra for her event - a nail bar.

She added: "Otherwise it's kind of what you'd expect, we're trying to make sure that there's a nail bar and a few nice little incentives for people to hang around on-site for.

"But for the most part it will be what the ATP side has traditionally had which has been consistently voted as the top 500.

"The gifting and everything is just an added bonus, but ultimately making sure they have the facilities that they need to play well on court is what's most important."

Player gifting is also an important element in keeping the athletes happy. At some of the biggest stops on the tour, players can receive things like headphones and designer jewellery. At the recent Australian Open, some showed off their free luggage and luxury beauty products.

While Robson hasn't settled on the exact products she wants to give out, as a former player, she knows what the stars don't want to receive. "I think I can see it from a player's perspective where I know what I would want to travel with and what I would want to leave the tournament with," she explained.

"So certainly nothing bulky, nothing that's going to weigh down your suitcase when you've got another six weeks on the road. It's just about something that can make their week better, make their day better.

"And it doesn't have to be big, I think you always look at these super fancy, luxurious gifts but ultimately that's the kind of thing that does get left in the hotel room because it's just too bulky to take with you."

Robson isn't the only player leading a tournament. Doubles Grand Slam champion Jamie Murray is the tournament director for the ATP contest at Queen's, and LTA Managing Director Chris Pollard said their contributions helped the event team give players the best possible experience.

"They're so in tune with what's going on in the world on tour that it really allows the two of them to really add value to what we're trying to do in providing the best possible player experience," he said.

"Whether that's gifting or the other things we know the players want, whether it's the best on-site practice court facilities, whether it's nutritious food in the players' lounge and so on."

Now entering her third year of being a tournament director, Robson believes it's a great path for former players to take. "It's a no-brainer I think for players to want to stay involved in the sport," she added.

"They've spent so much time committing to and there's still a lot of love for the sport and you want to be able to give back to that in a way, and this feels like a part of that. Everyone who I've spoken to who is in a similar role is doing it a little bit differently.

"[Garbine] Muguruza at the WTA Finals certainly does it differently to how I would. So I think you're able to influence it with your own personality and what your experiences have been on the tour."

The new WTA HSBC Championships . British stars Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter have already signed up, along with Australian Open champion Madison Keys, four-time Major winner Naomi Osaka, and world No. 11 Daria Kasatkina.

Tickets for the HSBC Championships are available now via the .