Katie Boulter will drop outside the world’s top 50 after losing to Marta Kostyuk in the opening round of the US Open.
The former British No. 1 has had a difficult season and admitted ahead of the contest that she had begun to feel burnt out after heading straight from Wimbledon to the United States.
This was a tough draw against the 27th seed and Boulter was unable to prevent a first opening-round loss here in four years, losing out 6-4, 6-4.
Boulter’s only previous match against Ukrainian Kostyuk came in San Diego last spring and brought her the biggest title of her career.
But she was unable to defend her crown because of injury and wins have been hard to come by since — aside from an impressive first title on clay, albeit below main tour level — just ahead of the French Open.
This was a close contest but ultimately it was Kostyuk who took more of her chances, with Boulter converting only two of her 10 break points.
Three of these came in the final game after Boulter, who hit eight double faults, had dug in to save five match points on her own serve, but she could not push the match to a decider.
It is a rare first-round defeat at a Grand Slam for the 29-year-old, who had reached the second round in nine of her 10 previous appearances in the main draws at majors.
Kartal exits in dramatic fashion
Later on Tuesday, Sonay Kartal limped to defeat in an extraordinary opening-round clash with Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Kartal was making her debut in the main draw in New York following her speedy rise up the rankings and was looking to write more grand slam headlines following a run to the fourth round of Wimbledon.
She beat Haddad Maia earlier this season in Indian Wells but, inspired by her noisy Brazilian fan club, the 18th seed overcame cramp to claim a 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 victory.
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The third set, which was delayed by a long bathroom break for Haddad Maia, provided high drama, with both women barely able to move.
Kartal, who appeared to be struggling with a recurrence of a knee problem, tried to find a way back after Haddad Maia suddenly began cramping leading 4-0, the Brazilian struggling just to roll serves over the net.
But Kartal was also clearly physically compromised and it was Haddad Maia who managed to stumble across the line.
