Is Katie Boulter a real star? The British number one is set to step into the spotlight at Wimbledon when she begins her campaign against Germany’s Tatjana Maria today.
The 27-year-old enters the tournament as the main local hope for success in the women’s draw, having maintained her upward trajectory for more than a year.
Boulter made a big breakthrough by winning her first WTA Tour title in Nottingham last June and followed that up with a bigger crown in San Diego and then a successful defence of the tournament which is held just a few miles from her home in Leicestershire.
She is seeded for the first time at Wimbledon as world number 32 and is clearly the British number one.
Boulter has successfully defended the Nottingham Open and reached the third round at Wimbledon in the last two years.
Boulter has reached the third round at Wimbledon in the last two years but his hopes of going further this time around have certainly been boosted by being seeded.
Last year, she needed a wild card to reach the main draw, which shows the speed of her rise.
“I feel really good,” she said. “It’s been a goal of mine for a long time to be at Wimbledon, seeded, with my team. Naturally, I want to play these tournaments based on my own ranking, I don’t want to take wild cards if I can avoid it.
“Being seeded as well, it’s a chance for me to show the dedication I’ve shown over the last few years. I think it’s a little pat on the back for me. I’m very proud to have this number, I’m striving to do more, but I’m happy with where I’m at right now.”
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Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur head to the park to discuss the early stages of their relationship and how life has changed in the past year
First up, Boulter will face Maria, a mother of two who had a surprise comeback by reaching the semi-finals two years ago.
Boulter has no plans to follow in Maria’s footsteps yet, but said: “I have huge respect for what she has done.
“I see her kids in the players’ room a lot, they’re super cute, they really love tennis, which is really nice to see too. The fact that she can come back and be so resilient, I think it’s very impressive, and just her love for the game.
“What she did, I can take inspiration from. I’m not entirely sure if I’ll have children and come back, I really don’t know, I think it’s a very personal decision and a decision I’ll make later in life.”
Sky Sports’ Robson on Boulter’s hopes
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Boulter reveals the five guests she would invite to a dinner party. Listen to the full episode here on the Sky Sports Tennis Podcast
“The difference in the last 12 months is incredible. To get into the top 100 last year after winning in Nottingham and to be seeded now is a huge step forward and she’s in great form,” said Laura Robson, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2013.
“It’s all the hard work she’s put in in the past that’s gotten her to this point. She’s worked really hard on her mental and physical performance, and has improved pretty much everything in this game, so she deserves to be seeded and get this reward.
“She was hoping that the others wouldn’t do well in the tournaments because she’s the last seed at 32nd and she’s keeping her fingers crossed that she’ll do well, but she’s done well and that’s a nice bonus.”
Ann Jones (1969) and Virginia Wade (1977) are the only two British players to have reached the women’s singles final at Wimbledon.
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