Katie Boulter is ranked 54th in the world

Boulter Relieved After Hard-Fought Win at China Open

Boulter Ends Tough Run with Resilient Win in Beijing

Katie Boulter said she felt “relieved” after overcoming a difficult few months with a hard-fought three-set win over American Hailey Baptiste in the first round of the China Open.

The 29-year-old British number two prevailed 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 in a gritty contest in Beijing to book her spot in the second round.

“Tough Couple of Months” Behind Her

“I’ve had a tough couple of months,” said Boulter.

“I’m really pleased with how I’m now putting myself out there and fighting for every point.”

After an early Wimbledon exit and a first-round defeat at the US Open, Boulter looked determined to prove herself in Beijing. She showed resilience after letting a double-break lead slip in the final set, eventually regaining composure to serve out the match.

“She [Baptiste] was playing such disruptive tennis but I stayed mentally strong and found a way to get through it.”

Mental Fortitude Pays Off

Boulter’s ability to recover from the third-set wobble and stay mentally locked in was key to her victory.

The result marks an encouraging bounce-back following her second-round Wimbledon loss to Solana Sierra and the US Open first-round exit to Marta Kostyuk.

What’s Next for Boulter?

Boulter now faces a major challenge in the next round against Amanda Anisimova, the Wimbledon and US Open runner-up.

The Brit has shown flashes of brilliance this year, including an impressive Billie Jean King Cup win over Moyuka Uchijima. However, she was beaten in her next singles match by Jessica Pegula as Great Britain lost 2-0 to the USA.

Around the Tours

Novak Djokovic confirms he’ll return at October’s Shanghai Masters, his first appearance since the US Open semi-final.
Carlos Alcaraz returns in Tokyo this week.
Jannik Sinner, last year’s Shanghai finalist, is also back in action.

Djokovic, now slimming his calendar in the twilight of his career, will look to improve on last year’s runner-up finish to then world number one Sinner.