Katie Boulter is into the quarter-finals of the Japan Open. The British eighth seed beat Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic 6-2 6-1 in less than an hour in Osaka on Wednesday, her third day on court in a row after rain disrupted the start of her week.
Nine games in a row
The match turned quickly. Boulter saved a break point in the opening game, then took control from 2-2, winning nine consecutive games before Golubic held for her only game of the second set, BBC Sport reported. Strong wind made conditions awkward for both players, and Boulter said patience had been the key.
"I think one of the biggest things for me is staying patient in the wind," she told the BBC, adding that she was pleased not to let frustration affect her and that she played "some really good tennis in the second set".
A rain-hit start
Boulter's week began with an interrupted first round. She led home wildcard Himeno Sakatsume by a set and 3-1 when bad weather stopped play on Monday, and completed a 6-3 6-1 win on Tuesday. She converted five of nine break points and saved all but one of the 13 she faced, according to the BBC. "I didn't want to be out here playing a third set so I'm pleased with today," she said after finishing the job.
The run is a welcome change. Before Osaka, the 30-year-old had played only three matches since 30 September, with a second-round exit at the China Open and a first-round loss in Wuhan, and Sky Sports puts her record at 21-20 over her last 41 matches. She is ranked 58th.
The British No 1 battle
There is also a domestic subplot, and it moves fast. Boulter lost the British No 1 ranking on Monday to Sonay Kartal, whose run to the Wuhan final lifted her about 120 places. The quarter-final in Osaka is enough to put Boulter back on top when the rankings are next published, the BBC reported.
What's next
Boulter will face Croatia's Antonia Ruzic or American Kayla Day for a place in the semi-finals. With the season closing in, every ranking point counts for a player trying to climb back up the rankings before the Australian Open in January. Follow the quarter-finals on our live tennis scores and the weekly moves on the WTA rankings page.
Sources
This article was written by TiebreakNews from the reporting below, checked against official results and rankings.
- BBC Sport — Boulter wins in under an hour to reach quarters
- BBC Sport — Boulter produces emphatic win at Japan Open
- Sky Sports — Japan Open: Katie Boulter beats Viktorija Golubic in straight sets to advance to quarter-finals in Osaka