August 29th 2024.
Katie Boulter, the top-ranked tennis player in Britain, experienced a tough loss on Thursday at the US Open. The 31st seed in the women's singles, Boulter was favored to win her second-round match against unseeded opponent Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. However, things did not go as planned for Boulter, as Bouzas Maneiro shocked her with a 7-5 7-5 victory.
The Spanish world No.74 will now move on to face either Jessica Pegula or Sofia Kenin in the next round, hoping to continue her surprising run at the Grand Slam event in New York. Meanwhile, Boulter was visibly upset and shared with her team that she felt like "everything was horrendous" on the court during her match. Fellow British player Naomi Broady, who was watching for the BBC, noted that Boulter's disappointment was evident and that the loss would likely sting for a while.
Boulter has been on a strong trajectory in the past year and a half, but her preparation leading up to the US Open was not ideal. She had only played three completed matches on hard courts before the tournament, as she had prioritized competing for Team GB at the Olympic Games in Paris. Unfortunately, her run at Flushing Meadows has now come to an end, marking the end of British representation in the women's singles after the earlier exits of Harriet Dart and Emma Raducanu.
Raducanu, who was also hoping for a deep run at the US Open, suffered a loss in her first-round match against Sofia Kenin. The 18-year-old had made headlines three years ago when she won the title at the same event, but this time around, things did not go her way. Former British No.1 Tim Henman, who was commentating on the match, noted that Raducanu did not play poorly, but was simply up against a world-class opponent. He also mentioned that this is all part of her learning journey and that she has already reflected on the need for more match experience before major tournaments.
Despite the disappointing results, Henman believes that both Boulter and Raducanu are on the right track and that their games are continuing to improve. He also reassured fans that this is not the last we will see of Raducanu, as she is a talented player with a bright future ahead.
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