Boulter loses to end British interest in women's singles

French Open 2025

Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website and app

British number 1 Katie Boulter was incapable to origin a daze against American seventh seed Madison Keys arsenic nan nation's liking successful nan French Open women's singles came to an end.

Boulter mislaid 6-1 6-3 to Australian Open champion Keys successful nan 2nd round, pinch a batch of self-inflicted harm caused by 9 double faults crossed her 8 work games.

"If you don't person a awesome serving time against personification for illustration that, you're ever nether pressure," said Boulter, who was surgery 5 times.

"I deliberation almost each work crippled I deed a double-fault. Against personification of that calibre, you conscionable can't spend to do that."

Boulter's exit came a fewer hours aft chap Briton Sonay Kartal was besides knocked out.

Kartal, competing successful her first French Open, struggled for consistency successful a 6-1 6-4 nonaccomplishment to Czech force Marie Bouzkova.

The brace followed Emma Raducanu retired of nan clay-court Grand Slam tourney aft she mislaid to reigning champion Iga Swiatek connected Wednesday.

All 3 players are provisionally classed wrong nan world's apical 50 arsenic their tussle for nan title of Britain's starring women's subordinate continues successful nan grass-court season.

Boulter is still retired successful beforehand astatine 38th successful nan world, 3 places up of Raducanu and 18 spots clear of 56th-ranked Kartal.

No British women reaching nan Paris 3rd information is simply a reality cheque aft nan euphoria of Boulter, Kartal and Raducanu winning their opening matches.

The trio were among nan six British singles players who won successful nan first information - nan biggest tally since 1973.

Like Raducanu, Boulter had nan unenviable task of facing 1 of nan world's champion players connected Court Philippe Chatrier and nan gulf betwixt nan brace was clear.

The 28-year-old started promisingly arsenic she created 4 break points but, aft being incapable to convert, her momentum quickly vanished and her service began to break down.

Double faults handed complete some of Keys' breaks successful nan opening set, pinch different coming connected break constituent successful nan first crippled of nan 2nd set.

Boulter's 2nd service continued to buckle arsenic she was surgery again for 4-1 and, though she battled to retrieve it successful nan eighth game, she mislaid service again arsenic 30-year-old Keys secured triumph pinch her 2nd lucifer point.

"It was a really reliable match. I was a small spot disconnected nan mark," said Boulter.

"Granted, she was hitting nan shot beautiful cleanable but I felt for illustration I was conscionable somewhat disconnected astatine nan start.

"If I'd possibly sewage 1 of those breaks aliases held to spell 2-2, it whitethorn person been a small spot easier for myself."

Despite nan disappointing quality of nan defeat, Boulter will bespeak positively connected her clay-court season.

She dropped down to nan second-tier of nan WTA Tour and was rewarded pinch a maiden clay title successful nan French superior successful nan build-up to Roland Garros.

Playing connected clay has ne'er travel easy to Boulter, who has struggled for fluidity and spot successful her movement.

The measurement she was outclassed by Keys was a reminder of her inferior value connected nan surface, but now tin attraction connected nan grass, wherever her service and forehand tin thrive.

Kartal was playing successful nan French Open main tie for nan first time, having climbed much than 200 places successful nan rankings complete nan past year.

The British number 3 has moved provisionally into nan world's apical 50 aft her opening triumph and hopes to enactment location for nan writer play and beyond.

"The apical 50 was my extremity of twelvemonth goal," said Kartal.

"It was thing that I wanted to hit, and pinch nan measurement I started nan year, I decidedly thought I could deed it sooner than I was hoping.

"Staying location is now nan caller goal."

Neither Kartal nor Bouzkova began pinch fluency, pinch nan Briton surgery successful nan first work crippled of nan match.

Kartal could not person a break backmost constituent successful nan adjacent crippled and quickly recovered herself 4-0 down earlier she yet held serve.

Bouzkova, a talented doubles player, dictated nan action and a double responsibility from Kartal handed her nan first set.

The 2nd group was topsy-turvy, pinch nan players exchanging six breaks of service earlier Bouzkova yet held for 5-4.

Kartal, 23, showed bully grit successful her last work game, redeeming 4 lucifer points earlier Bouzkova yet converted.