Katie Boulter sits down with Sky Sports activities’ Gigi Salmon to mirror on her “great” 2024, the place she goals to enhance her sport and life on and off the court docket with companion Alex de Minaur.
The British No 1 claimed titles in San Diego and Nottingham and has embedded herself inside the highest 30 at a career-high No 23 final month.
The 28-year-old ended her season with a semi-final run on the WTA 500 in Tokyo, adopted by a runner-up end in Hong Kong – her third tour-level last of the season.
“A pivotal point for me was knowing I could get through a full season and the work that I’ve been putting in has been paying off,” mentioned Boulter.
“I have been working so laborious every day to place myself in that place and for it to truly come via and never have any accidents, I feel that is full credit score to my crew. They have been pushing me previous my factors for a really very long time now and it is beginning to present now.
“There haven’t been any injuries but you know anything can happen and I really do not take that for granted, but at the same time it’s been a really great season for me physically and I feel like I’m only getting stronger.”
The place to enhance and objectives for 2025?
Coach Matt Little has helped mastermind Boulter’s rise this 12 months
“Something that frustrates me is that you’re never satisfied,” added Boulter, who has discovered the best way to handle her physique, investing in a private physio, Rory Mee, and Andy Murray’s former coach, Matt Little.
“I think tennis is one of those sports where you’re always aiming for something else no matter how well your season goes. I’ve had one of my best career seasons on paper but there’s so much I want to improve.
“I really feel like there’s little issues that may get me even larger [in the rankings]. I feel in a method, that is actually thrilling for me as a result of I really feel it is one other aim. It is one other alternative. It is one other place the place I’ve by no means been earlier than and I need to get to that place which retains me very motivated.
“Even though it’s frustrating, I’m never going to be satisfied, so it keeps me motivated.”
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Boulter and De Minaur headed to the park to debate the early phases of their relationship and the way life has modified
With that in thoughts, Boulter admits her tennis taking part in boyfriend De Minaur has pushed her into being goal-driven when taking a look at rankings.
She mentioned: “I set myself a goal in the middle of this year, where I want to be. I don’t think I will share that with people but I do have some goals in mind, but I also know that I have a lot of work to do on the court and in the gym before that will even happen. It is important to keep my head down and stay focused.”
What modified mentally and bodily?
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Boulter took house a surfboard following her sensational comeback win over Marta Kostyuk within the San Diego Open last, sealing a primary WTA title
Working with Little has improved Boulter’s on-court motion and bodily stature and she or he regarded spectacular throughout her title runs in San Diego and Nottingham.
“I think a massive part of that is changing fitness coach was big for me mentally and physically because it keeps it fresh, it keeps it new. It’s something new, it’s something different. It’s something I’ve not done for a very long time and Matt has been a massive asset for my team and obviously he’s got a lot of experience. He’s worked with Andy for 17, 18 years.
“He is been in tennis and he is introduced one other stage of my sport that I actually really feel like I discovered with him. The idea that he has in me, the boldness that he has in me, it form of spurs me on and he additionally is aware of the best way to push previous my limits. Everybody has come collectively and he is been an enormous a part of that success.”
Pleased away from work with De Minaur
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Boulter says De Minaur is ‘a optimistic affect’ on her the pair are ‘rising collectively on and off the court docket’
Boulter and De Minaur have been collectively for greater than 4 years and so they may face one another at the start of the 2025 season with Nice Britain and Australia drawn in the identical group on the United Cup – stay on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
“Anyone who has watched our journey has seen us grow together on the court and off the court. For me, it’s such a lovely feeling to know that everything is going well on the court and yet we can still enjoy time away from the court together,” mentioned the Leicestershire star.
“I feel like we’ve really helped each other in so many different ways. Firstly he’s there for advice. He’s got some credence, so I have to take his advice on board and I don’t mind listening to him once in a while. I don’t know if he takes it well from me but he knows what he’s doing. He’s been around the sport for so long, even though he’s so young. He’s got such great experience and he’s already been through so much.
“He is already been on the journey that I am on proper now. I’ve most likely been on it a bit longer so I’ve a barely totally different perspective which I might help him with and he might help me with the rating aspect of issues.
“It’s pushed my boundaries even more and given me belief that I can be where he’s at right now.”
Do they practice collectively?
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Boulter reveals which 5 company she would invite to a cocktail party…
“There are moments. There are a couple scheduled for pre-season, I believe. And maybe in Australia we have the odd one or two as well but all I will say is that it’s very competitive,” smiled Boulter.
“I wouldn’t say we’re great at not being competitive, either of us, no matter what it’s at. Whether it’s tennis, padel, or something small like cards, it gets pretty rowdy. But one of my biggest go-to is target because I always beat him at it. He’s not good at those targets, so he’s got work to do.”
Two insane weeks…
Boulter efficiently defended her Nottingham title
De Minaur watched Boulter win in San Diego.
A day earlier, De Minaur defeated Casper Ruud to win an ATP 500 title in Acapulco earlier than flying to the States within the early hours of Sunday morning.
They then one-upped themselves by claiming two crowns on the identical day in the summertime when De Minaur received his second grass-court tour-level title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and, simply hours later, Boulter adopted swimsuit within the Nottingham trophy match.
“I still don’t know how that actually happened. To happen one time is pretty insane – it’s not something that regularly happens. But then for it to happen twice with both in the same weeks is… I don’t know what forces are pulling that together but there’s something strange going on there,” mentioned Boulter.
“Our lives revolve around tennis so it would be tough not to be discussing tennis quite a lot, but I am personally huge on getting away from tennis. It’s important to switch off and I think we did that right at the end of our season. He managed to get a couple of days with me up in Leicestershire with my family just doing something completely different. It was the first time he has got a real Christmas tree – that was an experience!”
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