Wimbledon results 2024: Katie Boulter sets up second-round tie with ...

2 days ago
Katie Boulter

British number one Katie Boulter battled her way into the Wimbledon second round to set up a meeting with compatriot Harriet Dart.

The 27-year-old defeated 2022 semi-finalist Tatjana Maria 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 in front of a packed court three.

Boulter was handed a tricky draw against the 36-year-old German, but she overcame a nervy start to win in just over two hours.

She is seeded at SW19 for the first time after a positive season produced titles in San Diego and Nottingham.

"I know she made [the] semi-finals here a couple of years ago and I can completely see why," said Boulter.

"A great competition, she made me work for absolutely everything. I'm looking forward to the ice bath - I'm not sure I've said that before."

British number two Dart overwhelmed China's Zhuoxuan Bai 6-4 6-0 earlier on Tuesday.

Boulter said she is is expecting "an absolute battle" against her Billie Jean Cup team-mate Dart.

"Playing a Brit in the UK, on the grass, is never an easy draw," added Boulter.

The pair faced each other at the Nottingham Open last month, with Boulter winning the first-round tie in three sets.

Speaking before Boulter's victory over Maria, Dart said: "We're team-mates, we played big tournaments, we've grown up together, we've been close.

"It's always going to be tricky, whoever I play, especially when you play a fellow Brit. But it's great to see that all of us are doing well and putting us in positions where we do get to play each other, hopefully more so in the latter rounds."

World number 94 Dart did not lose serve against Bai, breaking the 21-year-old in the 10th game to take the first set, and only a rain interruption delayed her progress.

"The last few weeks I've had some really good matches, some that have gone my way, some that haven't," added Dart.

"For me it's just being able to build on it, try and play some good tennis. Today I showed that. I was really clinical out there - I was pretty proud of that."

Dart and Boulter were among 11 Britons in action on Tuesday after Andy Murray announced he would not play singles following his back operation.

British number 13 Jacob Fearnley battled to victory over Alejandro Moro Canas to set up a second-round encounter with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

The 22-year-old from Scotland, ranked 277 in the world, defeated the Spaniard 7-5 6-4 7-6 (14-12).

Paul Jubb missed out on a first Wimbledon success in agonising fashion, falling in five sets to big-hitting Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild.

Jubb led by two sets to love and had a match point in the third-set tie-break, but he could not take it and Seyboth Wild fought back to win 1-6 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 7-5.

Jan Choinski also went down in five sets, losing 7-5 4-6 2-6 7-5 6-2 to Italian Luciano Darderi.

British wildcard Billy Harris' Grand Slam debut ended in defeat against Spain's Jaume Munar, losing 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Another British debutant, Wimbledon boys' champion Henry Searle, was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 by Marcos Giron of the USA.

Meanwhile, Fran Jones battled through injury in the third set to complete her match against Croatia's Petra Martic but suffered a 3-6 6-1 6-2 loss.

Jack Draper - the nation's leading men's player - faces Sweden's Elias Ymer last on Centre Court.

Cameron Norrie, who reached the semi-finals in 2022, is also in action, as is Dan Evans.

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