Johanna Konta and Laura Robson have backed Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage to perform well at the upcoming US Open, as well as expressing their happiness at seeing two British women in the main draw.

Sky Sports Tennis analysts Konta and Robson have said that British No. 1 Boulter is improving and has the ability to achieve a good run at the last Grand Slam of the year in Flushing Meadows. The 27-year-old won her maiden WTA title at the Nottingham Open earlier this year.

Boulter then made it to the third round of Wimbledon after entering as a wild card, winning against Daria Saville and Viktoriya Tomova before being defeated by third seed and defending champion Elena Rybakina. Boulter is now at a career-high in the WTA Rankings, sitting at No. 60.

Read also

"Everybody has forgotten you and nobody wants you to come back": Tennis fans react scathingly to Kyrgios quip about singles and doubles top 50

Konta and Robson delighted to see Brits in main draw

Despite Boulter's recent rise, British women's tennis was in a low place a few months ago at the French Open. This is because it was the first time since 2009 that no British women made the main draw of a Grand Slam. Shortly afterward, the appearance of British women in the main draw at Wimbledon was reliant on wild cards.

However, the main draw of the women's singles field in the upcoming US Open will include two British players, after Burrage reached a career-high of No. 94 to guarantee her a spot along with Boulter.

Speaking about the two women's chances at the major, former British players Konta and Robson were delighted and optimistic.

Read also

"Rybaqueen": Elena Rybakina shares stylish photos as she arrives in New York for US Open

"I'm so happy that we've got two women in the main draw after everyone made such a big deal out of no women in the main draw directly at Wimbledon. Everyone needed wild cards, so it shows how quickly things can change," said former junior Wimbledon champion Robson.

"Hopefully we'll have a few more by the time the main draw starts, but I just feel like they're both playing some of the best tennis of their entire career - especially Katie.

She's winning the matches that she should be winning, which is not always easy, and it's a lot more pressure to put in yourself when you feel like 'oh, I'm finally at the ranking where maybe I should be', but to actually still play your best tennis in those situations can be can be tricky," she added.

Meanwhile, former US Open quarter-finalist Konta said that playing against the very best will help Boulter to improve.

"I think time at this level will do wonders and the more opportunity she gets to play against these big players the more she will feel 'where am I lacking? is it my consistency? do I not take enough chances? do I not step in early enough in the point?'

"She will then start thinking about what she needs to do on the practice court to try and iron out and push her own boundaries to get better."

LTA

@the_LTA

·Follow

New week. New career high. 🤩 @katiecboulter is up to 60 in the @WTA rankings 📈

597

Reply

Copy link

Read 12 replies