Katie progresses to take Tour title
Katie Boulter rallied to beat Jodie Burrage to claim the Progress Tour title in Roehampton yesterday.
Burrage dominated the opening set after jumping out to a 3-0 lead, but Boulter finished the stronger as she took a 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 victory.
Boulter had looked unsteady in the early going, struggling in blustery conditions, as she made a number of errors which were punished by Burrage.
When Boulter was broken at the end of the second set, Burrage had a chance to serve for the title.
Errors then crept into her own game, and Boulter was able to force a tie-break before taking it into a third set that she dominated.
“I’m happy to get the win,” said 23-year-old Boulter.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to find a way and I felt like I did that today. To get my body through five matches is a huge bonus – that was the aim I came into this week with.”
Burrage has lost just three of her last 17 matches since starting back on the British Tour events, and if she keeps up this consistency,
Boulter feels she could do well. She said: “If she keeps playing like that she’s going to go very far. I’ve always thought Jodie’s a very good player. She’s starting to put it altogether and it’s really nice to see.”
Despite injury withdrawals at the start of the week, this event also got the thumbs up from Boulter, who feels it could have a more permanent place in the calendar.
She continued: “I’d like to see it be back next year, or another time, and hopefully we can get all the girls playing.”