'It's awesome that people are pushing themselves': Katie Boulter on the Brit No. 1 battle with Emma Raducanu

Katie Boulter addressed the dispute she has with Emma Raducanu to be the British No. 1, following a couple of months where they have alternated the top spot in their country. Boulter had been at the top indisputably for a couple of years, but Raducanu's good results propelled her to overtake Boulter.

It is undoubtedly an interesting situation that will play out on the British Billie Jean King Cup team, as not only did Raducanu leave Boulter behind, but the young Sonay Kartal also claimed an important growth in the ranking and after Wimbledon was even ahead of the rest of her compatriots.

To date, Raducanu is ranked world No. 39, Kartal is No. 48, while Boulter is just at No. 50. The 29-year-old star has not achieved good results lately; since her second-round defeat at Wimbledon, she has recorded three consecutive first-round losses, including this very week at the Cincinnati Open.

Until a few months ago, Boulter was comfortably positioned inside the top 30, but she has progressively lost positions while Raducanu has elevated her status. In fact, the 2021 US Open champion began the year at just No. 61 but had already advanced to No. 33 a few weeks ago. She currently remains in the top 40 and is waiting for her debut against Olga Danilovic at the Cincinnati Open.

A three-way race: Raducanu, Kartal, and Boulter battle for British No. 1

The Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers took place in April, at the beginning of the clay-swing, where in the group stage Great Britain defeated the Netherlands and Germany, qualifying for the Finals for the second consecutive year. With Raducanu absent due to injury, Kartal took her position as No. 2, and Boulter was No. 1. Kartal earned victories in both of her singles matches, while Boulter had one win and one loss.

In previous years, the Brits had Boulter as the first singles player and Raducanu appearing in the second singles spot, but the absence of the former US Open champion gave space to an ascending Kartal. In the following months, Kartal has also raised her level, while Boulter has fallen in the rankings.

The three British players are relatively close in the rankings, and the fight to finish the year as British No. 1 could swing to anyone, although for the moment Boulter is the one furthest behind the three. "Honestly, I haven’t paid too much attention to it. It’s awesome that people are pushing themselves,” Boulter mentioned to Sky Sports. "The last few weeks have been tough. I have been sick, so my priority here is getting myself healthy and getting moving in the right direction."

The British roster for the upcoming BJK Cup Finals has already been revealed, which will include Raducanu, Boulter, and Kartal on the team, in addition to doubles specialist Jodie Burrage. It will be an interesting problem for captain Anne Keothavong, who will have to choose two of them for the singles matches in the quarterfinals against Japan, to be played starting September 16, just after the US Open.

Boulter's Early Cincinnati Exit & Mixed Doubles Plans

Boulter was eliminated early from the Cincinnati Open, falling to Serbia's Olga Danilovic 0-6, 5-7. The Brit is not entered in any other tournaments before the US Open and will arrive at the last Grand Slam of the year without having secured any wins on hardcourts this part of the year, with consecutive defeats in DC Open, Montreal, and Cincinnati.

Boulter, however, hopes to have an appearance before the start of the singles draw, as she is entered to play mixed doubles with her fiancé, Alex de Minaur. At least they expressed their intention to play the tournament, as their participation is not guaranteed while they wait for one of the two remaining wildcards.

"If the US Open are watching this… I am not doing that," joked Boulter. "No, it would be a privilege to play. We have played mixed before. It would be nice to get on the court with him. Yeah, it would be nice to get the chance. I'm not sure what we are going to try and do to get one [a wildcard]."