ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2025

Katie Boulter

Press Conference

K. BOULTER/C. Monnet

6-7, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Katie, congratulations. Strong comeback after the first set. What changed there?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I think the first set, it wasn't quite my best tennis. I felt like she was playing better. I think I was very well aware that if I kind of just got through that first set, then the second set may be a little bit easier and I might relax a little bit. I think I got that into my head a little bit too much, kind of allowed her into the set. Obviously she played some great tennis as well, full credit to her.

Yeah, I think I kind of allowed that. Obviously in these matches, sometimes it's really difficult just to get through the first match. Yeah, I'm pleased that I came through it and the way I came back in the second and third was a testament to the last couple of weeks I think on clay for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Potentially Madison Keys in the next round. Do you think that might be a bit more of a comfortable kind of matchup for you on clay against someone like that? With your two game styles, it can become more of a bit of a pure hitting contest than traditional clay court battle?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I mean, today was difficult I think. I feel like every time I play at Roland Garros, it really does depend a lot on conditions as to how fast the ball's moving. I've been practicing all week. I've been playing with some of the best girls, playing unbelievably well.

When you start getting into the evening, the slightly colder days, I do think that the game changes massively. I think that's where I have to adapt and that's where I just have to keep backing myself.

Obviously someone like Maddie Keys is a similar game style to me. She's got a slam under her belt, so I see no pressure firstly. Secondly, it is a very different matchup. It's going to be more about who gets the first strike in, yeah, who's on the ball with every single point. It's going to be a very different matchup. I'm going to have to raise my game a lot from today.

Yeah, it's a challenge. I'm excited for it.

Q. You talked about being a bit off at the start. Was it an expectation or burden trying to get that first main-draw win here? Do you think that affected you in any way?

KATIE BOULTER: I wouldn't say necessarily just trying to get my first main-draw win here. Obviously that does mean a fair bit to me. I think because I played so well last week and I started building a lot of momentum, ultimately I start putting more pressure on myself.

I think I start to expect myself to just come out and just be playing great. That just doesn't happen. I've talked about it multiple times with my coach. You see these players, they play top five great matches where you can say they've played unbelievably well. The rest of the time they're just fighting, digging, finding a way to win.

I think that's where a bit of experience today kind of showed, because I dug in in the biggest moments, I think especially in the start of both sets. Really managed to consolidate that second break. That gave me a lot of confidence just to kind of keep going for my shots. It allowed me to close the door.

Q. Do you plan to celebrate? A little indulgence on the food table?

KATIE BOULTER: No, no. Yeah, I mean, obviously it's a milestone. I'm grateful to be here. I could have easily been on a train back on the Eurostar.

Look, my goal is to be winning way more matches. And if I get a title here, then I'll celebrate five minutes. With the grass around the corner, there won't be any celebrating. I've got to get back to work.

Every single day is an opportunity for me to get better, to get closer to my goal. I find as a tennis player, we never really get the chance to celebrate. I do think it is important to take a second sometimes and realize when you have won a title or something like that, that it does kind of give you a second to allow it to sink in. I think we are really easily rushing from one to the next.

Yeah, my biggest example of that is literally I played San Diego evening last year and I got in a car the same night, went straight to Indian Wells, practiced one day and went straight into the next tournament. I didn't even process the fact that I won my first 500.

I do think it is very important to celebrate the little wins. I think that's massive as a tennis player. I've ticked the box, but I don't think I'll be celebrating.

Q. Have a meal with the family? Go out?

KATIE BOULTER: Always. Always.

Q. You will do something tonight?

KATIE BOULTER: Tonight, no. I think I might be a little too late tonight. It's 8 p.m. I still have treatment to do. I'll probably eat here, I reckon. Try to get an early night.

Q. I guess you've been in the city of Paris for ages now, two and a half weeks.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah. I did manage to go home for two nights actually. I left on Sunday night and went back home for a day, then came back Tuesday morning. I managed to get a night.

Q. Have you been staying in the same place?

KATIE BOULTER: No, I haven't. No, I stayed in a different place for the 125. That was the official hotel. This week I am staying with Marriott about 10 minutes away.

Q. Sort of kills my question.

KATIE BOULTER: What was the question? I'll expand on it (laughter). What was it? I'll try.

Q. Wondering if you've been in the same place for two and a half weeks, you must be really settle into Paris.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, no, I've completely changed it. I'm going to different restaurants, different coffee shops, I'm staying in a different place. But, I am staying in the same place as I did last year. That kind of feels like home a little bit. I'm going with that feeling of familiarity. Yeah, it feels good to be in the same place as last year.

Q. A random question. Obviously you're playing on great courts now. You've played on many different courts in ITFs and stuff.

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah.

Q. What is the worst court you've ever played on? Any really bad courts where there was a big crack or...

KATIE BOULTER: God, you're testing my memory now. There's definitely been quite a few bad courts I've played on. I do think sometimes at the lower levels, there's quite a few courts that do have cracks and some pretty bad bounces. Especially on clay courts, I find sometimes they nail in the lines and they can sometimes come away from that. Sometimes it can be quite dangerous.

I can't specifically give you one right now. My memory's not that good. Yeah, I do find there is definitely a different quality. Obviously Roland Garros here, they're pristine. If you don't like the courts here, I'd be a little bit worried. Yeah, they're really nice courts.

Obviously that court I played doubles on in the Olympics, so I actually have played on it before, which was great for me going out there. Yeah, sometimes it feels like it's quite far away in comparison to some of the other courts. It's a beautiful court. I really like it a lot.

Q. You mentioned earlier you felt like you're putting pressure on yourself. What has helped when you when you do put a bit too much pressure on yourself? How do you get out of that, try to play freely or think freely?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I think it is a mindset shift. I do think that's where my team helped me a lot. I think when they sense that I'm not fully releasing on my shots, which is when I'm very dangerous, I think I look to them to try and help me a little bit. They do kind of calm me and relax me in a way that most people can't. I think that's where I rely on them a bit.

But also, for me, it's just the fact that I can trust myself. I think it's very easy to play a bad set of tennis, but I'm someone whose got a (indiscernible) best-of-three sets. I pride myself on the fact that I'm going to get through it in three sets no matter what. I have no idea what my three-set record is this year, but I feel like it's reasonably good. I'm going to make it extremely hard for you to beat me. There's going to be a day that they're going to play better than me in those three sets. Then I have to become a better tennis player.

But a lot of these matches are about just digging in at the biggest moments. That is what I am really proud of today. It wasn't the best tennis, but it was a really headstrong performance.