BOULT FROM THE BLUE
Tears as Katie earns biggest win
KATIE BOULTER dedicated the biggest win of her career to her departed grandma as emotions ran high on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
The 25-year-old Briton reached round three for the first time by beating 2021 runner-up Karolina Pliskova and broke down in front of a crowd including her grieving grandad. “It’s been a tough few
My first win on Centre will give me energy
days for sure,” said the Leicester-born Boulter after her 3-6 7-6 6-4 victory over sixth-seeded Czech Pliskova.
“I’ve tried to kind of get my emotions out and deal with the situation, try and keep my head on the tennis.
“I was lucky because my grandpa managed to come down from Leicester, so we could keep him company and keep supporting him at the same time.”
Boulter’s grandmother Jill passed away on Tuesday.
“I’m going to get so emotional,” she said. “I would like to dedicate it to her.
“I actually had a phone call from my grandpa the night before I played my first-round match.
“He didn’t mention anything but he gave me the inkling that it might be coming.
“I didn’t know anything until my mum pulled me aside and told me after the first match.”
After the disappointment of Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray’s second-round exits, Boulter’s win against Pliskova was the perfect tonic for the home crowd.
And there was another major upset sprung by a Briton in the men’s draw when Liam Broady knocked out No.12 seed Diego Schwartzman.
Broady lost 11 games in a row in the middle of the match.
But he showed terrific fighting spirit to win through 6-2 4-6 0-6 7-6 6-1 against the Argentinian, above.