BREAKING NEWS Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter's doubles partnership comes to an end with Brits downed in straight sets by number one seeds at Queen's

Daily Mail​

a day ago

The budding partnership between between Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter came to an end in lethal style as they were overturned by Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe 6-2, 7-5.
The Billie Jean King Cup team-mates had been motivated by their desire to get live points on grass under their belt and although Raducanu and Boulter were able to claim the former's first-ever doubles win in their first-round victory on Monday, the Britons looked well off the mark up against the tournament's number-one seeded pair.
Under persistent grey skies in west London, gone were the cheerful smiles and exchange of jokes at the baseline from the home favourites as Kichenok and Routliffe exposed their lack of experience in the format - particularly Raducanu's.
Most notable was a lack of in-play communication, exemplified by a cartoonish clash of racquets in the opening game. Although Raducanu and Boulter continued to keep spirits raised as they high-fived in-between points and offered up quick debriefs between games, this was a world away from Monday's entertainingly box-office opener.
By contrast, Routliffe and Kichenok looked a well-oiled machine, with the New Zealand star a particular force at the net as she repeatedly soaked up Raducanu's increasingly desperate attempts to hit back her on the forehand wing. The Briton's shoulders slumped briefly, exhaustedly, when the final winner streaked past her straight down the doubles alley.
5-2 down in the first set, Raducanu's serve began to quiver, as she dished up two double faults to all but hand her opponents set point. Boulter at the net was unable to dig the pairing out of trouble, watching with a waiting backhand haplessly for Kichenok's unbeatable return.
Although able to claim an opening hold, Raducanu and Boulter were treated to no respite in the second set as their opponents burnished their first-seed credentials with an early break of the Boulter serve.
But the British No1 and No2 had some fight in them yet, breaking back at 4-2 to give Routliffe and Kichenok some food for thought. Increasingly comfortable late on the second set, they dogged their opponents to 5-5 after Boulter held serve to love.
But Raducanu on serve was unable to force a tiebreak as Routliffe and Kichenok claimed victory with a break.
Neither Briton will likely be disappointed, with attention having switched to their respective singles matches later this week possibly after the first set. Their Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong will also be happy to learn that she has another workable doubles partnership to call upon in Japan for the quarter-finals later this year.
The most dismayed, however, will be the British crowd - once again crammed onto Court One in their number to watch the home-soil heroines - and the tournament organised, forced to wave goodbye to by far the most recognisable names left in the doubles draw.