Former British tennis star Laura Robson was absolutely delighted after her good friend Katie Boulter upset 2021 Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova.
On Thursday, 118th-ranked Boulter recovered from a set down to stun Pliskova 3-6 7-6 (4) 6-4.
Boulter beat Pliskova the week before in Eastbourne but to beat the former world No. 1 at Wimbledon was something much more impressive.
“I’m buzzing for Katie,” Robson said on Eurosport. “I mean, this sort of win has been on the cards for a while, and she beat Pliskova last week in Eastbourne, so a lot of us thought that there was a potential upset for today,” Robson said on Eurosport. “But to close it out the way that she did, and in the final game, make only first serves, finishing it with a volley and playing such positive tennis towards the end of the match when I think a lot of people would’ve been really nervous trying to close out a match on Centre Court as a British player, and Katie just thrived in the environment. So, I’m pumped for her, I was emotional at the end, as I think many, many people were in the crowd.”
Robson: Boulter is happy and it is showing
Boulter, who is in a relationship with fellow tennis player Alex de Minaur, is doing well off the court and having her granddad present during the British grass court swing helps.
“The key, I think, for Katie is just how happy she is off-court at the moment, you know,” Robson added. “Any tournament where her granddad comes, she always seems to play better, so he’s been at all the grass events so far this year.”
Boulter, 25, has been through to the Wimbledon third round for the first time in his career.
In the Wimbledon third round, Boulter faces Harmony Tan and she certainly has a good chance of reaching the Wimbledon last-16.