Tennis first, romance second - Katie Boulter putting herself ahead of fiancé as she prepares for busy 2026

Katie Boulter was not able to make her mark in this years Australian Open, suffering a 6-0, 7-5 first round exit to the inform Belinda Bencic. She was quick to highly praise her opponent while passionately declaring her excitement for what she hopes is a lot of tennis in 2026, with better results.

After a routing from her opponent in the first set, Boulter's level increased hugely. She was much more competitive in the second set, sticking with the Swiss player as she broke back with the mission being clinch the second set to preserve her Australian Open campaign. That could not be completed with Bencic racing away with the final three games to secure safe passageway into the second round.

"It was an interesting match for me," she commented after the defeat. "Obviously, it’s a match that I don’t go into with any pressure. I think it was a really tough first set. She has such a unique playing style that it took me a moment to adjust and get used to how she hits the ball. She takes so much time away, and it’s very unique compared to a lot of tennis players."

While the result was not what she wanted, a much-improved second set was a positive to take from the match. "It took me a moment to understand that. Then I felt like I was building pressure in the second set and definitely had my chances. I don’t think it was the cleanest match off my racket, but she was ultimately a class above me. Still, I felt like I was in with a shot in the second set and could definitely be out there playing a third right now. That’s my takeaway. There are some definite positives, but also a lot to learn from."

Bencic has started 2026 like a rocket. She won all her singles contests in Switzerland's run to the final of the United Cup, and has broken back into the top 10 despite being ranked outside the world top 40.

"I mean, she’s an incredible player. I’ve actually known her for one of the longest periods out of all the girls—I think I’ve known her the longest," Boulter said. "I know how well she can play, what she’s been through, and what kind of player she is. She belongs in the top 10."

The Brit described how tricky it was to play against her. "She’s a very unique player that you don’t really get to practise against too often. She makes you rush and play shots you don’t normally play, and you kind of have to go for broke a little bit."

She still aimed to take the positives. "As I settled into the second set, I can take confidence from the fact that I was right there with her at times and that I can definitely improve myself," she acknowledged. "I think I just need to play more of those matches and get used to those tight moments again. It’s the very start of the year, so it’s tough to play someone who’s in form, who’s already played more matches than me, and who is arguably one of the tougher draws on paper. But also, in terms of matchup, she’s just a great player."

The Melbourne Park courts and setting were not to the liking of Boulter. "The conditions here are a lot slower at night, and I’m very aware of that. It meant I had to commit to the ball more and take more risks because ultimately I’m not going to hurt her as much otherwise."

As she continues to progress in the sport, she looks to keep with her original identity. "My identity is to look for my forehand and go after it," she explained. "I started to find myself again in the second set. It’s not going to change overnight—it’s a work in progress—but it was comforting to feel that improvement. The more I serve, the more I get back to where I want to be. I feel like I can get closer to my identity, which is being aggressive but also patient—waiting for the right ball. It reminds me of the patterns I’m trying to play and where I can hurt top-10 players."

With her firmly ranked outside the top 100, Boulter is motivated to rise back up into it after what was a torrid 2026 filled with despair and heartbreak. Contrary to Bencic last year, Boulter was a seed. Now she just squeezed into the main draw after almost having to go through qualifying.

However, she is not afraid to get stuck into qualifying for other events if the scenario occurs. "I’m actually quite excited about it," she exclaimed. "I’m eager to get out and play lots of matches. I’m not precious about playing qualifying in tournaments. I’m looking forward to playing back-to-back days and getting my body used to playing five matches again."

The more matches she plays, the more consistency and rhythm she will pick up, a key component for a rise back up the rankings. "Last year was very bitty, and I never really found that rhythm of consistent match play," she added. "With two-week tournaments, you can have long gaps between matches and lose rhythm. I’m excited to play some lower-level tournaments, even qualifying at WTA 250s. I think it’ll be really good for me."

She will also be focusing primarily on herself, despite however deep her fiancé Alex de Minaur gets into his home event. "I’ve already got my schedule in place. Tomorrow morning we’ll regroup as a team and have a chat. As much as I’d love to stay and support, I have to prioritise myself. If I can support Alex, I will, but tennis has to be my priority," she finished up with.