By Martyn Herman
LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) – Britain’s woeful start to Wimbledon continued on Tuesday as Katie Boulter became the 11th home player to crash out in the first round, crumbling to a 6-4 6-2 defeat to teenaged Grand Slam debutant Tyra Caterina Grant.
Injuries to Emma Raducanu, who withdrew on Sunday, and Jack Draper, who pulled out on Monday, meant 19 British players were in first-round action — 12 of them receiving wildcards and three coming through qualifying.
By the time Boulter slid to defeat against qualifier Grant before lunch on day two, only eight were left and that number was further reduced after men’s singles defeats for Jack Pinnington Jones and Harry Wendelken.
Ten defeats on a sobering Monday, including for the usually reliable British number one Cameron Norrie against American qualifier Michael Zheng, were the home nation’s worst day at Wimbledon this century.
SWAN GETS A HOME WIN
There was finally a home victory to cheer on Tuesday though as world number 196 Katie Swan beat Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 6-4 in front of a joyous crowd on Court 16.
Swan, 27, was once highly rated having won the Australian Open junior title but quit the Tour with a chronic back injury three years ago and took up coaching.
“It’s been a rough few years for me, getting back to a point where I can play a Slam again,” Swan said. “I played Begu here eight years ago, and that was the last time I won a match here. It’s kind of full circle to play her again and win today.”
With Raducanu out with a stress fracture, Boulter was Britain’s best hope in the women’s draw having two WTA grass court titles to her name and an impressive victory against former Wimbledon champion and this year’s second seed Elena Rybakina this month at Queen’s Club.
Facing an 18-year-old qualifier playing her first Grand Slam main draw match meant Boulter was a clear favourite on Court Three, especially as prior to the qualifying tournament Grant had never played a match on a grass court.
But Boulter produced a nervy, ragged display to suffer a Wimbledon first-round exit for the first time since 2017.
BOULTER KNOWS WHAT SHE NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Even the chants of “Let’s go Katie, let’s go” fizzled out as Grant, daughter of American basketball player Tyrone Grant, showed no nerves to close out the win.
Grant brought up a match point with an ace and converted it as a ball dribbled off Boulter’s racket and into the net.
“I think she didn’t really give me a look-in,” Boulter, whose Australian fiance Alex de Minaur won his match on the same court soon after, said. “Of course it hurts because it’s Wimbledon. It just hurts more and it makes it harder for me.”
Asked for her thoughts on the other British losers, Boulter said she was more focused on her own disappointment.
“For British players in general, I think it’s a case-by-case. Honestly, I’m not sure (what the explanation is),” she said. “I’m here just trying to look after myself and what I’m trying to do. I know what I need to do to improve.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Alison Williams)
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