IT has been a nightmare week for British tennis with Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray crashing out of Wimbledon.
But 25-year-old Katie Boulter has already turned the mood around.
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Boulter brilliantly BEAT last year’s SW19 finalist and World No 6 Karolina Pliskova in a tough second round clash.
She beat Frenchwoman Clara Burel with ease in her first match of the tournament but faces much sterner opposition next.
But what else do we know about Britain’s female tennis star?
JUNIOR STAR
Born in August 1996, Boulter took up tennis when she was just five and was representing Great Britain just three years later.
By the time she was just 11, Boulter was winning tournaments abroad including the Lemon Bowl in Rome and Florida’s Junior Orange Bowl.
Since turning pro in 2014, the British star has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in the country and has won won six singles and four doubles titles on the ITF Women’s Circuit.
Boulter catapulted herself into the public eye with a Wimbledon win over Veronica Cepede Royg in 2018, and she also reached the second round last year.
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She’s in good form this year already, having picked up an ITF title out in France at the beginning of the year.
Boulter is currently ranked No127 in the world, and demonstrated a love for fashion when she appeared in Vogue back in 2018.
She was signed up by KIN Partners, the agents of the former England captain David Beckham, and the Paris-Saint Germain and Brazil superstar Neymar.
A willowy and athletic player, Boulter doesn’t necessarily look built for power on the court.
But she packs a punch with her forehand and is coached by Jeremy Bates, Nigel Sears and Mark Taylor.
She stands 5ft11 tall, or 1.80m.
KATIE’S LOVE LIFE
Boulter IS in a relationship, as it happens.
The 24-year-old was confirmed to be with fellow tennis player Alex de Minaur in 2021.
Rumours had raged for months that the pair were an item, and De Minaur finally made things official back in March of last year.
De Minaur is ranked No 27 in the world and takes on Brit Jack Draper in his next clash.
It looks as if the pair have been together since the beginning of 2021, but they’ve been friends for much longer.
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It’s been previously reported that Boulter dated American Jack Sock, who is also on the tour.
De Minaur is said to have been linked with Russian Anastasia Potapova.