Katie Boulter pays for missed chances in Canadian Open exit

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter

Published: August 10 2024 | 09:22

Last updated: August 13 2024 | 09:56

Wasteful Boulter eliminated from Canadian Open by Grand Slam winner

British number one Katie Boulter suffers a comprehensive 3-6 3-6 defeat to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Canadian Open.

British number one Katie Boulter saw her Canadian Open run come to an end with a straight-sets loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.

The 28-year-old had enjoyed ample recovery time from her clash with Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round, which the Brazilian retired from at 1-1, and she was not short of opportunities to stun Sabalenka on Friday.

In total, Boulter brought up eight break points against the Australian Open champion, but she failed to convert any of them en route to a 3-6 3-6 defeat in one hour and 23 minutes.

Four break points came and went for Boulter in the opening set, but Sabalenka only needed one opportunity to draw first blood against the British number one in the sixth game of the match.

Boulter fatally let another quartet of openings pass her by in set two, while Sabalenka continued to ruthlessly dispatch her opportunities when they came, and that difference in ruthlessness proved decisive in Montreal.

Seven double faults also hampered Boulter's hopes of a quarter-final appearance, but Sabalenka was far from faultless behind her own racquet either, landing less than 50% of her first serves in the third-round affair.

Coco Gauff in action at Wimbledon on July 3, 2023 © Reuters

Coco Gauff shocked by Diana Shnaider in third round

Nevertheless, the Belarusian took all three of the break points she fashioned to set up a quarter-final tie with Amanda Anisimova, one of five Americans present in the last eight of the competition.

However, Coco Gauff will not be joining her compatriots in the quarters, having suffered a surprise defeat to Russian 14th seed Diana Shnaider, who earned a statement 6-4 6-1 victory.

Gauff double-faulted eight times and only brought up one chance to break Shnaider, which she failed to take, and she conceded afterwards that she was feeling the effects of her gruelling Olympics campaign, where she competed in the singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

"Sometimes I question whether I should have played or not. But at the end of the day I wanted to test myself and see how I would do being mentally tired a little bit and physically fatigued," Gauff told the press. "I didn't have high expectations, but I wish I could have competed better, even if it resulted in a loss. I don't think I competed well."

The Canadian Open is the penultimate Masters competition before the US Open, which begins on August 26, as the Cincinnati Open will also take place next week.