Katie Boulter adds to British woe at Wimbledon with first-round exit
Tennis fans were left disappointed after British hopeful Jack Draper followed Emma Raducanu in dropping out of Wimbledon.
Katie Boulter joined the exodus of British players at Wimbledon after a comprehensive first-round defeat by teenage qualifier Tyra Caterina Grant.
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The 29-year-old from Leicester was Britain’s biggest hope of success this fortnight following Monday’s 10-player wipeout and the withdrawals of Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper.
But British number two Boulter, first up on Court Three, found herself blown away in a hail of blistering winners, a 6-4 6-2 defeat taking just an hour in six minutes.
Italian Grant, 18 and making her grand slam debut, trained with Jannik Sinner as a child and is a potential star in the making, sporting an eye-catching hairstyle of long braids down her back.
That is not the only resemblance to a certain Serena Williams with her clean, powerful ball-striking also reminiscent of the American great.
Read more: All British players left in Wimbledon: Norrie loses, Raducanu and Draper ruled out
Read more: Britain's Jack Draper pulls out of Wimbledon over injury
An increasingly frustrated Boulter could not read her serves, failing to create a single break point.
At one point she even felt the Hawkeye system was against her, pointedly checking a ball for a white mark after one of six aces flew past her.
Having dropped serve early in the opening set, back-to-back double-faults coughed up a first break in the second and Grant reeled off the final four games for a maiden grand slam win.
Tennis fans were left disappointed after British hopeful Draper followed Raducanu in dropping out of Wimbledon.
Draper revealed he has suffered a recurrence of an arm injury, after a difficult year of tennis for the 24-year-old, which has seen him play in only a handful of tournaments.
The former world number four, who had been due to face sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court on Tuesday, said: “Devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first-round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury.
“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon. I will continue to persevere through this. Thank you for the support.”
His decision, on the tournament’s opening day, came after British women’s number one Raducanu withdrew from the competition on Sunday evening due to a stress fracture in her lower right leg.
Writing on Instagram, the 23-year-old said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but sadly I’ve had to withdraw from this year’s Wimbledon.
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process.
“I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement. Especially at a time like this, it is invaluable. I look forward to seeing you when I’m back.”