THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2023

Katie Boulter

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/K. Boulter

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Your initial reaction to the match, if you would.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, obviously a really tough match against a tough competitor. I gave it my best today. I wouldn't say I really felt like I got into the match fully.

She's clearly the defending champion for a reason, and I learnt a lot today and that's what I'm going to have to take from today's match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Does her ball feel different to anybody you have faced before?

KATIE BOULTER: It's a tough one. Yes, it does. Obviously it's a lot quicker and the majority of girls, they don't quite hit the ball like that. It's quite flat. You don't really see where she's going. She disguises it very well.

So for me, I struggled with it a lot today. You know, it felt like I got into it a little bit at times and I started to pick up her ball but she was relentless at the end of the day. She was the much better player.

Q. Were you able to enjoy the occasion at all? The support was fantastic and it's always a wonderful place to be. But were you able to take anything from it emotionally positive?

KATIE BOULTER: I will always reflect back on something positive. I think, you know, the crowd are incredible. You know, going out there, every single point they're behind me and I felt them at all times. I wanted to give them a bit more today, but unfortunately I couldn't do that. But I appreciated them every single second I was out there.

Q. How difficult was it having to wait around all day until, well, it was nearly 9:00, wasn't it, by the time you wept on court?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, it was quite late. Obviously it was my first match playing under lights. Actually there I have played under the roof but I didn't play under lights last time I played. It was a little bit different and it took time for me to adjust on serve especially. I don't think I quite found it.

I haven't checked the stats or anything, but I don't think my first-serve percentage was that high. I also know she was putting so much pressure on my service games because hers were so much quicker, that of course I'm going to try and force it and try and make as many as I can.

Yeah, I'll be reflecting back on that and try to make some improvements.

Q. Does it ever enter your mind in this situation that you're the last Brit singles player standing? Was that something you were thinking about?

KATIE BOULTER: I wouldn't say so.

Q. Does it mean anything to you?

KATIE BOULTER: I wouldn't say that it enters my mind too much. I think, you know, we've got a lot of players still left in the draw playing doubles and mixed doubles.

Yeah, I mean, of course I want to do my best every single day but I can only focus on myself, and that's what I'm going to continue to do.

Q. How do you reflect on this week at Wimbledon after you have equaled the run you had last year? You're also doing it as the British No. 1. Did it feel different this week? How was the attention for you and did you enjoy it as well?

KATIE BOULTER: I loved every single minute. Obviously today was not my day. I have to be accepting of that.

It's part of this sport and ultimately I have to pick myself up and look at the positives. I'm sure it's going to be a tough night but I'm going to sit here tomorrow morning and tell you that I'm at a career high. I've had some seriously positive weeks. I've come off the back of five long weeks with no injuries, no issues. They're the things I'm going to be focusing on and really pushing forward on the rest of the year.

But of course, I would have loved to have gotten a win today, but I have to take the positives. I'm quite a positive person and I don't doubt I'll be bringing those into my mind tomorrow.

Q. How good a platform is this now for you to push on through the rest of the season?

KATIE BOULTER: Love that question, because I've got a great rest of the year ahead of me. I've got virtually not many points to defend. It's a really good opportunity for me to keep pushing my ranking up and really make a statement and play many more matches like today. They're the matches that I want to be playing.

Yeah, I want to compete against the best in the world, and I'm going to have to do that week in, week out. Some days you play good; some days you don't. Some days they go your way.

The more matches I play like that, the more confidence and the more information I'll get about myself and I can try and improve myself.

Q. You've obviously played most of this year on the ITF tour, the second tier. I'm assuming that when you're playing in those kind of $80,000 tournaments you just don't get that kind of -- well, particularly the serve, she's the best server in the game. I'm assuming that it's quite an adjustment when you're suddenly faced with one of the best two or three players in the world.

KATIE BOULTER: I think, you know, whether I played on the ITF tour or the WTA Tour all year round, you know, there is only a handful of players that serve like that.

She is definitely one of them. Osaka is another one that I've played before. Sabalenka. There's a handful of players who are at the top of game who you have to adjust and you have to get yourself ready for that. I have done before. I feel like I have played serves like that, but obviously today it was too much for me.

Yeah, I'm going to continue to work on myself and my return, but it's definitely been improving a lot over the past few months without a doubt. Today was a small blip in the returning game.

Q. Mixed doubles going to be a nice pick-me-up?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah. I'm sure tonight Alex will be giving me some words of wisdom. You know, he's just gone through a tough loss yesterday. We do it week in, week out. I'm going to be ready to go tomorrow and enjoying myself and having fun.

It will be a great way to end Wimbledon, for sure.