“Have a shorter tour and…,” Katie Boulter expresses her views on WTA match scheduling after win against Beatriz Haddad Maia

The British No. 1 moves into the quarter-finals for the first time this season following her win over Maia in San Diego.

“Have a shorter tour and…,” Katie Boulter expresses her views on WTA match scheduling after win against Beatriz Haddad Maia

Katie Boulter (Image via IMAGO)

World No. 49 Katie Boulter has made her way into her first quarter-final of the season. The British player defeated the Brazilian icon Beatriz Haddad Maia to advance. The duo clashed in the second round of the 2024 San Diego Open. Boulter had failed to go past the second round so far this season.

But she has overcome the hurdle this week at the WTA-500 event. She beat Maia 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. By defeating the current World No. 13, Boulter recorded her second Top-20 win of the season. While the first two sets were tightly contested, Boulter took an early lead in the third set.

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She broke to take a 2-1 lead and extended it to a commanding 5-1 lead. Maia looked to stage a comeback as she made it 5-4 by winning the next three games. The Briton however served out the match at 5-4 to register her second win of the week after a 2 hour and 21 minute battle.

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Following her win, Boulter however expressed her desire to have a shorter Tour. She talked about the constant traveling and packed schedule. While she did mention she enjoyed this part, fewer tournaments would still be good according to her.

I don't know how will we do it and I'm not in a position to change it. But I think it is a very long season & there’s a lot of flying. I love that side of tennis at the same time, but it would be pretty cool to maybe have a shorter tour & put emphasis on those specific matches & tournaments.
Said Boulter.

A new challenge for Katie Boulter in the quarter-finals

The win over Maia was also the eighth win of the season in 11 matches for the British No. 1. She will now lock horns with Croatia’s Donna Vekic. The World No. 28 has also won eight matches so far this season but has four defeats as well to her name.

Katie Boulter calls out critics for constant ABUSE irrespective of result revealing hardships of the Tour
Katie Boulter (Image via The Sun)

Vekic defeated Katherine Hui in straight-sets in the first round followed by a three-set win over Marina Stakusic. Vekic won the tie 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach her second quarter-final of the season. She previously made it to the semi-finals in Linz, her best result so far this season.

This will be the first meeting between Boulter and Vekic. Boulter is already guaranteed to reach her career-high ranking irrespective of this result. The live rankings currently place the Briton in the 43rd place, five more than her career-high ranking.

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