Katie Boulter must now banish Wimbledon demons after collapse against 'nemesis'

Daily Mirror

11 hours ago

Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart are preparing to return to the scene of their emotional clash last summer, where the then-British No.1 had things all in hand before one of the most remarkable finishes to a match SW19 has ever seen
They contested one of the most dramatic clashes at Wimbledon last summer. Now one year on, Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart are preparing to return to the scene of their emotional battle of the Brits thriller on hallowed home SW19 turf.
Last year, the duo slugged it out in a heart-thumping second-round duel as Dart, ranked more than 70 places below British No.1 Boulter at the time, miraculously turned the tables to edge out her nemesis in a tense 10-8 tie-break. Dart, 28, trailed 6-2 in that deciding format and after visibly breaking down in tears, launched an improbable late fightback to reel off eight of the next 10 points and somehow seal a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (8) victory.
‌
'I wear my emotions on my sleeve,' said Dart after the nerve-jangling encounter, which propelled her into the third round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in her career. 'You see everything how I'm thinking unfortunately – I was so happy to be able to get through.'
‌
For Boulter, it was an inexplicable collapse that the Leicester-born player hopes can intensify her hunger for success this year.
'These are the kind of losses that sting a little bit, they do,' she said. 'I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully be winning a lot more matches here next year.'
Emma Raducanu, who blazed a trail by memorably grabbing Grand Slam glory at the US Open four years ago, may be the most recognisable British name in this year's women's draw but it's Boulter and Dart – separated in age by the space of just four days – who arrive as the two most experienced homegrown campaigners.
While Boulter is ranked marginally lower than she was heading into Wimbledon this time last year – the current world No.38 – she has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the circuit that culminated in a maiden clay court title in Paris last month.
After that crushing defeat to Dart to dash her hopes of emulating her third-round exploits in the previous two years, Boulter embarked on a resurgent run that catapulted her into the world's top 25 for the first time in her career.
‌
She lost in the second rounds at both the US and Australian Opens but as the clay-court season got underway, clinched her first WTA 125 title at the Trophée Clarins in the French capital.
Boulter battled past home favourite Chloe Paquet in the final, coming from behind to grind out a 3-6 6-2 6-3 victory and gear up for the French Open in the best possible fashion.
It proved to be a familiar Grand Slam story for the Brit on the famous red Roland Garros clay as she was outgunned in the second round again by seventh seed Madison Keys – but she will arrive back in London buoyed by a promising few months knowing the nation is behind her as she kicks off her grass court campaign.
‌
And with Boulter engaged to Aussie ace and current world No.7 Alex de Minaur, 26, it's fair to say she will have no shortage of support in south-west London.
For Dart, it's been a more frustrating year on the circuit that ended with a failure to qualify for the French Open. She was downed in the second round at Flushing Meadows before suffering the same fate in Melbourne after being awarded a place in the main draw as a lucky loser.
‌
She may have failed to make the cut across the Channel last month – but will be relishing a return to her favourite speedy grass surface and the only major tournament she has ever reached the third round in.
And what about the other British women?
‌
Step forward Sonay Kartal, the 23-year-old prodigy from Brighton who has enjoyed a remarkable rise up the rankings since reaching the third round at SW19 last summer. Kartal, the world No.295 at the time, qualified for the main draw for the first time and memorably navigated her way to the last 32 after stunning wins against 29th seed Sorana Cirstea and Clara Burel, ranked exactly 250 places above her.
That made her just the second British woman in the Open era to reach the third round at SW19 as a qualifier, following in the footsteps of Karen Cross 27 years earlier and marking her out as one of the brightest prospects on the women's tennis circuit.
Kartal was eventually knocked out by second seed and this year's French Open winner Coco Gauff – but that defeat did little to thwart her progress over the last few months. She reached the second round at Roland Garros and alongside Raducanu and Boulter, is expected to arrive at Wimbledon as one of the world's top 50 players.
‌
That would make it the first time since 1986 a hat-trick of homegrown heroes have achieved that feat and Kartal, whose long-term idols are Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters, is hellbent on trying to stay there.
"That was my end-of-year goal," said Kartal, speaking after her straight sets French Open defeat against Czech world No.47 Marie Bouzkova. "It's something I'm proud of. I'll look to try and stay there, now. That would be the new goal."
‌
Elsewhere, Jodie Burrage will be hoping to finally banish her injury demons after another turbulent 12 months. The former world No.85, 26, has plummeted down the rankings after being forced to miss Wimbledon last season with a wrist injury.
The current British No.7, Burrage reached the second round of the Australian Open after gaining a place as a lucky loser before going down against American Danielle Collins in the first round at the French. Burrage is the girlfriend of Scotland rugby star Ben White, who narrowly missed out on selection for this summer's British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.
She admits that 'horrible day' hampered even her own preparation for the French Open but will be hoping to bounce back stronger at her home Grand Slam, where she recorded her maiden major win against Caty McNally two years ago.
‌
On the men's side, while Jack Draper will function as the unequivocal British face of the Championships, both Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley will be hoping for a run of their own.
Seasoned campaigner Norrie, 29, has endured a difficult couple of years and before the French Open, had progressed past the third round of a Grand Slam on just a solitary occasion since reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals back in 2022.
‌
But he showed signs of his old best in Paris by lowering the colours of Daniil Medvedev, the world No.11 and 2021 US Open champion, in a battle of the baseliners to reach the last 16 and send him towards SW19 with a renewed streak of confidence.
Fearnley, 23, burst onto the scene at Wimbledon last summer as a first major win against Alejandro Moro Canas teed up a tantalising date with Novak Djokovic.
The Scot, who made the transatlantic hop to America to develop his young career, even took a set off the great 24-time Grand Slam champion on Centre Court but was unable to complete what would have been one of the most remarkable SW19 triumphs.
Fearnley, the current British No.2 ahead of Norrie, has enjoyed a successful year after reaching the third rounds at both the Australian and French Open and will head to the capital hoping to go even further after last summer's debut exploits.