Katie Boulter's Australian Open Dreams Crushed by Belinda Bencic in Straight Sets
Britannia's Katie Boulter suffered an unceremonious exit from the Australian Open at the hands of 10th seeded Swiss player, Belinda Bencic. The world number 113 Boulter was handed a tough opening match against the formidable opponent and could not keep up with her Swiss counterpart.
The first set flew by in just 26 minutes as Boulter conceded without winning a single game, while Bencic dominated from the start, demonstrating her superiority over her opponent. Although Boulter fought hard to level at 4-4 in the second set, she ultimately could not force a decider and was defeated in straight sets.
Boulter's exit is all the more disappointing given that it follows an inconsistent 2025 season which saw her drop from a world ranking of 24th down to outside the top 100. The loss also came at a significant time as Boulter is set to get married later this year, with her wedding plans providing a much-needed positive push.
Bencic's win sets up a promising next-round matchup for the Swiss player against Czech teenager Nikola Bartunkova. In contrast, Boulter will have some time to reflect on her loss and try to rediscover her form ahead of lower-level tournaments later this year in pursuit of reviving her career.
Britannia's Katie Boulter suffered an unceremonious exit from the Australian Open at the hands of 10th seeded Swiss player, Belinda Bencic. The world number 113 Boulter was handed a tough opening match against the formidable opponent and could not keep up with her Swiss counterpart.
The first set flew by in just 26 minutes as Boulter conceded without winning a single game, while Bencic dominated from the start, demonstrating her superiority over her opponent. Although Boulter fought hard to level at 4-4 in the second set, she ultimately could not force a decider and was defeated in straight sets.
Boulter's exit is all the more disappointing given that it follows an inconsistent 2025 season which saw her drop from a world ranking of 24th down to outside the top 100. The loss also came at a significant time as Boulter is set to get married later this year, with her wedding plans providing a much-needed positive push.
Bencic's win sets up a promising next-round matchup for the Swiss player against Czech teenager Nikola Bartunkova. In contrast, Boulter will have some time to reflect on her loss and try to rediscover her form ahead of lower-level tournaments later this year in pursuit of reviving her career.