Katie Boulter Falls Short Against Iga Swiatek

Katie Boulter narrowly missed out on a stunning victory over Iga Swiatek, ending Great Britain’s hopes of reaching the United Cup semi-finals in a thrilling match. Boulter, 28, needed a win to force a deciding doubles tie but lost 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-4 to the world number two in Sydney. The match which lasted almost three hours was a display of intense tennis with both players showing respect in a warm embrace after the contest.

Earlier, Billy Harris also fell short, losing 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 to Hubert Hurkacz in the opening singles match leaving Britain in need of a Boulter victory to stay alive. Poland, one of the tournament favourites, now advances to face Kazakhstan in the semi-finals. Boulter, who enjoyed her best career season last year, pushed Swiatek to the limit despite a slow start, recovering from a 4-1 deficit in the first set.

She showed tremendous power and precision to claim the first set but Swiatek regained control in the second.  The match’s momentum shifted throughout with Boulter even taking an early lead in the decider, only for Swiatek to recover after a medical timeout. Swiatek broke Boulter’s serve to claim victory and the match. Meanwhile, Jodie Burrage faced disappointment in Auckland where she held a match point against Hailey Baptiste but ultimately lost 5-7 7-5 7-6 (8-6).

Burrage, recovering from injury had shown resilience by making a strong run and her performances will help her prepare for the Australian Open. Great Britain’s early exit marks another setback for the team with both Katie Boulter and Billy Harris playing admirably against higher-ranked opponents.