British number one Katie Boulter produced the biggest victory of her career on Friday night, upsetting world number two Elena Rybakina to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships.
Roared on by a passionate home crowd, the world number 73 battled to a memorable 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory over the former Wimbledon champion in a gripping contest that lasted two hours and 39 minutes.
Boulter showed remarkable resilience throughout the encounter, saving 12 of the 14 break points she faced against one of the most powerful players on the WTA Tour. The 29-year-old sealed the win when Rybakina sent a return into the net on her third match point, sparking jubilant celebrations from the home favourite.
The victory capped an exhausting day for Boulter, who had earlier defeated Jaqueline Cristian to book her place in the quarter-finals before returning to court for the showdown with Rybakina.
Reflecting on the triumph, Boulter paid tribute to the spectators who helped carry her through the contest.
“Honestly, I am not really sure what to say. I feel like this win goes to the crowd that got me through it tonight and stayed out here,” she said.
“I just tried to keep backing myself and go for it. If you don’t go for it, you’re going to regret the things you’ve worked so hard for.”
Boulter’s reward is a semi-final clash with Croatian star Donna Vekic, with a place in the final at stake.
Meanwhile, fellow Briton Emma Raducanu also enjoyed a successful day, defeating Romanian world number 18 Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
The victory marked Raducanu’s first win over a top-20 opponent in more than a year and offered revenge for her defeat to Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final earlier this season.
However, scheduling disruptions caused by Thursday’s rain washout mean Raducanu could face a demanding Saturday. Her quarter-final against Kamilla Rakhimova was postponed, leaving her potentially needing to play both her quarter-final and semi-final on the same day if she progresses.
With Boulter and Raducanu both still in contention, British hopes remain high as the grass-court season gathers momentum ahead of **The Championships, Wimbledon>.
