Katie Boulter exited the Mubadala DC Open in the first round after a comeback from American Ashlyn Krueger left the Brit beaten 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, while fellow Brit Cameron Norrie snapped a six-match run without an ATP victory with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 win in Mexico.
Late collapse costs Boulter at Washington hard court
Boulter started brightly in Washington, taking control of the opening set and converting a crucial break to seal it. The Brit, making her first outing since a first-round Wimbledon defeat and fresh from her recent marriage to fellow player Alex De Minaur, appeared in command before the match swung.
Krueger, ranked at world number 67, recovered from a shaky first set — in which she committed a high number of unforced errors — to overturn the contest. She broke Boulter twice in the second set to force a decider, then produced a decisive burst in the third, winning three of the next five games to close out the match.
- First set: Boulter dominated, closing out at 6-3.
- Second set: Krueger fought back, taking it 6-2.
- Final set: Krueger completed the comeback 6-2.
Consequences and next opponent
The defeat ends Boulter’s run at the tournament and hands Krueger a second-round meeting with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. For Boulter, the loss will be taken on the chin as she looks to regain form after recent disappointment at the Championships.
Norrie finds form in Mexico
Meanwhile, in Mexico City, Norrie advanced to the second round of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo with a straight-sets victory over world number 95 Aleksandar Kovacevic. The Brit had been without an ATP Tour victory for six matches but produced a composed performance to end that run.
The match was not entirely free of trouble for Norrie: he was broken in the opening game and had to save break points on other occasions, but he fought back each time and asserted control as the contest progressed, wrapping the first set and pulling away emphatically in the second.
| Player | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Katie Boulter | Ashlyn Krueger | 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
| Cameron Norrie | Aleksandar Kovacevic | 6-4, 6-1 |
For Norrie, the win halts a slump on the ATP Tour and provides momentum as the hard-court season continues. For Boulter, attention will turn to recovery and preparation for upcoming events as she seeks to rebuild after this setback.
