Katie Boulter has stormed into the top 30 of the WTA rankings for the first time after she claimed San Diego Open success.
British number one Boulter recovered from a set down to beat Marta Kostyuk 5-7 6-2 6-2 to clinch a maiden WTA 500 title.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the rise of the new world number 27 and what is next.
Always destined for stardom?
✅ 1st @WTA 500 title✅ New career high ranking@katiecboulter is on the ?#BackTheBrits ?? pic.twitter.com/2oFEVZulBU
— LTA (@the_LTA) March 4, 2024
Boulter has been a prominent name in British tennis circles since her teenage years and followed in the footsteps of her mother Susan by picking up a racket to represent her nation at junior level. A breakthrough Wimbledon in 2018 – where she tested Naomi Osaka – appeared the catalyst for the tall right-hander to kick on in her development after she reached 82 in the world, but a serious back injury a year later curtailed her progress.
Road to recovery
Second Wimbledon breakthrough
Boulter recovered in time to achieve a grand-slam best result with a run to the Wimbledon third round after victory over former world number one Karolina Pliskova. The next big challenge was to improve the robustness of her body after she built a strong team around her, which included coach Biljana Veselinovic and she kicked off 2023 with a number of fine displays in ITF tournaments. She beat compatriot Jodie Burrage to seal Canberra success before she made another two finals in Japan in May.
Maiden WTA title
Can she surprise at Indian Wells?
Superb in San Diego ?@katiecboulter outlasts Kostyuk in three to claim the title!#SanDiegoOpen pic.twitter.com/aE1M7oBgHn
— wta (@WTA) March 4, 2024
There will be little time for Boulter to celebrate the biggest victory of her career or the Mexican Open success of boyfriend Alex De Minaur, with both set to play in the women’s and men’s editions of the WTA 1000 tournament BNP Paribas Open, which starts this week. British number one Boulter enters after beating five top-50 opponents in San Diego to take her season record to 11 wins in 14 matches. A key feature of her form has been the Briton’s composure in crunch moments after she recovered from a number of first-set double-faults to beat Kostyuk and she will fancy her chances of causing a splash in Indian Wells with her booming forehand a match for anyone right now.
