BOULTER HITS CLASSIC FORM ON COMEBACK
KATIE BOULTER says she’s “here to stay” after the injury-hit Wimbledon wildcard found her best grass-court form to reach the Rothesay Classic quarter-finals.
The British No.4’s promising career has been dogged by setbacks and she is playing only her second event since March.
But after knocking out world No.35 Alison Riske in the first round, Boulter reached the last eight by beating former No.4 Caroline Garcia 7-6 6-1.
The furious French star never recovered from a double fault on set point in the tiebreak when the umpire called her first serve out.
It was Boulter’s fifth win of the season on a grass court.
She said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic right now. I’ve worked so hard the past few weeks with my injury.
“It kind of makes it feel worthwhile and all the tough moments I went through – and pushing through – really got me through today.”
Boulter suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome at the beginning of her stop-start career and endured a serious back injury in April 2019 just after breaking into the world’s top 100.
The world No.141 said: “I have come to terms with that I don’t think I’m ever going to be perfect.
“I’ve been working hard on trying to stay and be there for longer than just one match. A lot of the times I have come back, I’ve been able to get through one tournament then picked up another injury and I have not quite been where I want to be.
“In my mind I’m here to stay. There are not going to be any more injuries.”
Boulter will next face Simona Halep tomorrow for the first time after the world No.2 beat Harriet Dart 6-3 6-2.
Ryan Peniston is the only home singles player left at Queen’s Club after wildcard Jack Draper went down 6-2 7-6 to Finnish qualifier Emil Ruusuvuori.
World No.99 Draper, who shocked No.4 seed Taylor Fritz in the first round, said: “There are not many times I’m outplayed.
“I felt today was one. He played a great match. It is a tough one to take.”
British No.7 Peniston faces Argentine Francisco Cerundolo today.
Joe Salisbury recorded the 150th win of his ATP career when the Londoner and Rajeev Ram beat Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares 7-6 7-6 in a repeat of the US Open doubles final.
At the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, wildcard Nick Kyrgios beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 5-7 6-2 6-4.