Katie Boulter got off to a winning start at the Queen’s Club.
Katie Boulter enjoyed a role reversal with fiance Alex de Minaur as she sealed victory in her first singles match at Queen’s. The WTA Tour has returned to London for the first time in 52 years, and Boulter may be the player most excited about getting the chance to compete at the prestigious West Kensington tennis club.
After spending years attending the event to watch her partner, De Minaur, in action at the long-standing ATP 500 event, the world No. 34 admitted it was “weird” to see the Aussie in her box while she played a match.
It may have been awkward viewing for De Minaur, as Boulter was playing one of his compatriots in qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic.
It was a tight tussle – Boulter won a close first set before Tomljanovic breezed through the second. But the Brit finally came out on top, winning 7-6(4) 1-6 6-4.
After she finally got the opportunity to play on the centre court at the Queen’s Club, now renamed the Andy Murray Arena, Boulter admitted it was strange to be the one competing while De Minaur watched on.
But it made the victory even sweeter, especially as the ATP No. 10 wasn’t meant to be there and suddenly decided to come.
“It was weird, actually. It was really nice. Yeah, it was great, because I have such fond memories of watching him,” Boulter said of her fiance’s attendance.