KATIE SHOOTS HER BOULT TOO SOON

FUTURE superstar Katie Boulter made history at the Australian Open – but only after celebrating prematurely.

The British No.3, who has signed for the same talent agency as David Beckham and Neymar, reached the second round by winning the tournament’s first ever 10-point tiebreak.

But Boulter had wrongly thought she had beaten Russian Ekaterina

Makarova (right) when she reached seven points in the decisive tiebreak at the end of the third set – and performed a series of double fist-pumps before realising her error.

The world No.97 eventually triumphed 6-0 4-6 7-6 (10-6) against the world No.60, who reached the semi-finals here in 2015.

And the Leicester City fan (top) admitted: “I thought I had won it at seven points. I kinda forgot it was first to 10 but I am happy I could dig deep and get through it in the end.

“It was very tough to turn it around because you had just released and you thought you had won the match and you had to get back to work and find a way. I thought I did that really well and I am proud of myself for digging deep.

“I have got to take it lightheartedly. I ended up getting the win. I probably would have been really devastated if I had not.

“A couple of people have already mentioned it to me. I can laugh it off now.

“At least I know the rule now so it definitely won’t happen to me again.” The new rule sees a 10-point (or champion’s) tiebreak played at 6-6 in the final set here. Wimbledon will this year play a tiebreak at 12-12 in the final set.

Boulter faces another rising star – world No.11 and Shenzhen Open champion Aryna Sabalenka – in her next match. But she is also keen to meet the big names attached to her agency Kin Partners.

“Of course I would like to meet Beckham and Neymar – they are professional sportspeople and I can learn a lot from anyone. I have a lot of respect for them and what they do,” she said. “But at the end of the day I am just focusing on myself.

“I am very lucky to have a great support team and that is all I can do at the moment. Whatever else happens, happens.”