After winning the biggest trophy of her career, the new world No 27 is playing with a level of freedom that makes her a formidable opponent
On the final point of her quarter-final win over Donna Vekic in San Diego last week, Katie Boulter was scrambling. She was dragged from sideline to sideline, lunging at every ball, desperately trying to stay in the point. After 24 brutal groundstrokes between them, Boulter chased down a drop shot, which she brushed aside with a searing forehand winner to close out the victory.
A year ago, it would have been difficult to imagine Boulter winning such points against top opposition. While the potency of her serve and clean, vicious groundstrokes have never been in doubt, whenever she was forced out of position at the highest level, her defensive weaknesses were laid bare.