BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 8, 2022

Katie Boulter

Team Great Britain

Emirates Arena

Press Conference

Y. PUTINTSEVA/K. Boulter

4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Team Kazakhstan - 1

Team Great Britain - 0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your assessment of the match?

KATIE BOULTER: My assessment was I felt like I came out swinging, and she had obviously come out with a game plan which slightly suited me, I think, initially. She then completely changed her game plan, and I started to allow her to play the way that she had, and she maneuvered me around the court instead of me taking lead, which I had initially in the first set.

I felt like my serving, I struggled with it a little bit today. I think my percentage must have been very low, which didn't help me at all. I felt like I fought till the end, and ultimately I fell short.

Q. What was the tactical shift she made?

KATIE BOULTER: She decided to start looping a little bit, giving a little bit more height and margin on her ball, which made it a little harder for me. She was standing back further on my serve so it was less effective. Even though there weren't many first serves going in, she was still using that very well, and she had a lot of time on the ball. So she was making it a lot harder and a lot tougher for me to win easy points.

Q. You had strapping on your right leg, and then you had treatment I think on your left calf, as well. You talked last week about kind of being prepared for eventually an injury around the corner, I think it's something you said. How is your body holding up at the moment, and how are you feeling? Is that left calf a problem at all?

KATIE BOULTER: Absolutely not. No, it was just a tight calf. Yeah.

Q. Just on that, you had your strapping on your shoulder. Is that something that's been carried on from Shrewsbury perhaps?

KATIE BOULTER: I mean, next time I probably won't wear any strapping, because I never get these questions.

No, it was literally just a little bit of support. You know, we have played with a lot of heavy balls recently, and I think for me it just kind of adds a little bit of comfort, and that's why.

Q. This morning it was announced that Wimbledon are considering relaxing their all-white rule for their clothes, so women can potentially wear different color underwear under skirts. If that comes into effect, do you think that will be well received in the women's locker room?

KATIE BOULTER: I'm sure it will be. It's not really -- I haven't had many discussions about that, if I'm honest. I'm not entirely sure, but I do think it helps.

Q. Just as a general rule, is it good when bodies like Wimbledon, the LTA, listen to players and listen to concerns about how to improve the sport and listen to what players want?

KATIE BOULTER: It does.

Q. The tie at the Copper Box, it was an amazing atmosphere. Here, obviously not the same level of crowds, the same level of support. Were you maybe slightly disappointed that more people didn't come out today?

KATIE BOULTER: I didn't really look around too much. I did obviously, you know, I didn't hear probably as much as I did in Copper Box. Maybe that was slightly because I was trying to focus on myself more. I'm not entirely sure.

I felt like there was a good atmosphere. You know, the Kazakhstanians are always going to bring their drums and it's always going to be a fight with the noise level because they want to win that one. I think they did today probably.

But, yeah, I mean, I just appreciate having anyone supporting me right now. I think it makes a huge difference just to have people in the crowds at all. Yeah, you know, it would be nice to see a little bit more rowdy crowd out there for sure.