Boulter Feeling 'no Pressure' In British Battle

Katie Boulter says she is not emotion immoderate unit arsenic she battles to support nan British number 1 ranking pinch Emma Raducanu and Sonay Kartal closing in.

Boulter, 28, has been nan nation's starring women's subordinate since June 2023, but has dropped down nan world rankings successful a stop-start season.

Having reached a profession precocious 23rd successful November, Boulter is now 40th aft winning 5 of her 10 matches this year.

Raducanu is up to 49th aft reaching nan Miami quarter-finals past month, while Kartal's accelerated emergence has moved her up to 60th.

"I don't consciousness immoderate unit astatine all," Boulter told BBC Sport.

"I'm very comfortable successful nan spot that I americium and I cognize that each azygous personification has a different travel and my travel is not going to beryllium compared to anyone else's – I'm proud of that.

"I've been nan British number 1 for 2 years, it's been a adjacent while now. It's thing which I'm rather utilized to."

Boulter starts her clay-court plaything connected Tuesday erstwhile she plays Katerina Siniakova of nan Czech Republic successful nan Madrid Open first round.

The Briton's acquisition connected clay is still limited, having only played 4 top-level main-draw matches connected nan surface.

After winning 1 and losing 1 of her BJK Cup singles matches past week connected indoor clay successful nan Netherlands, Boulter went to Alicante - wherever her fiancé Alex de Minaur has agelong been based - for a training week.

She decided that was nan sensible action - alternatively of squeezing successful different WTA clay-court arena earlier Madrid - arsenic she continues to negociate a ft injury.

The rumor has near her only capable to play 5 tournaments this season, missing almost 2 months of nan WTA Tour betwixt nan Australian Open successful January and Indian Wells successful March.

"I want to spot nan girls going higher and higher [in nan rankings], but personally I person my ain goals and effort to attraction connected those a lot," added Boulter, who secured GB's spot successful nan BJK Cup Finals alongside Jodie Burrage successful nan deciding doubles.

"For maine I conscionable request to effort and enactment healthy. That's that astir important point and past nan ranking will return attraction of itself.

"Obviously I've dropped a small spot from past twelvemonth but owed to nan truth I've not been capable to play.

"It's not for illustration my level has gone anywhere. I consciousness for illustration my level is awesome truthful now it's astir keeping myself patient for nan astir important tournaments."