THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2026

Katie Boulter

Press Conference

T.C. GRANT/K. Boulter

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Could you give us some thoughts on today's match?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, disappointing day. Not a good day at the office. I think it's not how I wanted to start, but I have to give credit to her, as well. She's a young girl who's swinging, playing some fearless tennis.

I think she didn't really give me a look-in. I think maybe a few other players I would have had a few more opportunities on return of serves. I think she served extremely well. I didn't match that.

Yeah, I think it's a tough day today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. It's obviously been a tricky few weeks for you, having to pull out of the Nottingham Open. How were the preparations coming into today?

KATIE BOULTER: I mean, the preparations have been the best that I could possibly do. I do everything I possibly can to get myself in the best place possible to play.

I think obviously missing Nottingham was a tough one for me, and, you know, you always have regrets when you have a tough week here.

Yeah, I was ready to go today.

Q. How are you feeling about your tennis at the moment?

KATIE BOULTER: I think that's a question, if you ask me in a few hours, it may be different to now. I think I, yeah, I'm pretty disappointed with today. I really am. I'm not overly happy with the way that I played the match today, but I have to remind myself that I have come a long way this year already. I ended my year outside 100.

I have to be slightly kinder to myself and my own thoughts as well where I try not to expect as much of myself as I should.

I think this year I have been building extremely well. I think it's one of the only weeks in my whole calendar so far, I have had a really tough week.

Of course it hurts because it's Wimbledon. It just hurts more and it makes it harder for me to deal with and to accept the fact that I didn't bring my best game out there.

But ultimately, this year so far has been a step in the right direction, and maybe over the next few days, weeks, I can remind myself of that.

Q. In those times, are you going to get a chance to spend any time in Leicestershire and see your family?

KATIE BOULTER: I'm sure that's everything that I will do, and it will fix everything.

Q. It was a tough day for British hopes yesterday, I guess. Do you feel like there was more pressure coming in today as a Brit that was probably the biggest hope for today?

KATIE BOULTER: No, not necessarily. No. I think I have always just focused on myself. I'm always very supportive of every British player that plays. I want them all to do extremely well. At the same time, I have to take care of my own backyard. I have to focus on myself and not get too involved in other people.

I think the moment that I do that, I start to get a little distracted. I don't think I really was too aware of what was happening yesterday. I was trying really hard to get myself and my body ready to play today.

So yeah, I mean, of course it's really difficult to see a lot of British players going out, but I know how hard they work all year round as well to get themselves in a position to play here.

It's disappointing, but, you know, I think the best thing about tennis is it's all year round. You know, it's not just one week. I love Wimbledon with everything that I've got, but I'll be telling myself to kind of move past it this week, as well.

Yeah, it's difficult for all of us.

Q. You became a poster girl a couple of years ago for Wimbledon, and you're still a darling for everyone. Your face is in all the papers. Does that add extra pressure for you to do well here? You love Wimbledon, the people love you. How is the pressure on your shoulders coming into the week?

KATIE BOULTER: As I've said, I love Wimbledon. It's my home. It's where I have my best memories. It's where I dreamt of playing as a kid.

It's a very special place and holds so much history for so many great tennis players. I think for me, I just do the best that I can. I may not be No. 1 in the world, but every single day I'm going to turn up and do the best that I can, whether it's on the practice court, in the gym, on the match court. Today is everything I had. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

But, you know, that is for me to go back and keep building and keep working. It's tough, because you can sometimes sound like a robot, but it's the only thing we know what to do. I think if I get wrapped up in this loss, it's going to be tough. It's not going to be easy for me.

I will allow myself to take a couple of days and look after my head and maybe go back over the match and see what I could have done better.

For me, I never really see it as pressure. I see it as a whole country behind me. I'm truly grateful for them and the crowd, that they bring so much love to us.

Q. You mentioned where you were at the start of the year. I was wondering, I know it's quite soon for this, but how do you reflect on your grass court season as a whole in the context of this, but also your really good run at Queen's?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I think it probably makes today a little bit more disappointing because of those wins. I think if maybe I'd lost earlier in those matches, it would mean that I would, not be accepting, but I'd be a little bit more cautious of my level.

I think the hardest thing about today is knowing the level that I can play. In such a short space of time, we've seen some of the best tennis of my life and some not-so-great tennis.

I think as a whole, I'm moving in the right direction. I am. It would be tough for me to say that I'm not. I think that even since the start of the year, my level has improved massively. I think the work that I have been doing, it has been showing, and ultimately my ranking shows that.

It's not like I haven't been putting weeks together. I have. It's just very unfortunate timing that it happens to be Wimbledon that I struggled. You know what? It's one of those weeks that, you know, is going to define me as a player, and it's going to get me better. Hopefully I can use these situations for next year.

But, you know, I'm still playing doubles here. I'm going to have a swing, I'm going to put a smile on my face, and I'm going to move past all of this.

Q. Obviously it's been a really difficult few days for the Brits. Why do you think that's been the case, and what do you think sort of needs to change going forward to improve that?

KATIE BOULTER: Look, I mean, for British players in general, I think it's a case-by-case. Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm here just trying to look after myself and what I'm trying to do, and, you know, I know what I need to do to improve and to get better.

I think it would be difficult for me to go in and kind of name names. I think everyone is very different. I think some of the youngsters, some of the girls, they had some tough draws. I mean, for me, for them it's more about experience and gaining time under these courts for the future of their game and the way that they can move forward. I know how good they are, they are all unbelievably good. You know, I think a lot of experience is going to be great for them.

I have watched some of the men. But as I said, I haven't really had too much chance to focus on them. As I said, there is so much going on. There is so much in general in my life that's going on. So I'm just trying to keep my head down and keep focusing on what I can do.

Of course, I give all my support and my love to the British players. And yeah, I don't think it's in my remit to tell them what to do.

Q. Looking forward, firstly, are you playing mixed with Alex? And also, you said the other day, this is still going to be the best month of your life regardless. When you have had time to process this, is it still going to feel that way?

KATIE BOULTER: I don't think I'm playing mixed, that I know of. I haven't had that conversation. He's on court. Not that I know of that I'm playing mixed doubles. I'm playing women's doubles with Heather Watson.

I think this is the most challenging part about tennis. It's so difficult to feel satisfied. I think it's something you keep trying to strive for, but yeah...

Yeah, it's tough (tearing up). It's tough. I can assure you it's going to be the best day of my life in a while. Not today, yeah.

Q. You said earlier that you really struggled to meet Tyra's explosiveness. Wonder why you struggled with her game?

KATIE BOULTER: I think she served incredibly well today. I think ultimately for me she disrupted my rhythm the best she possibly could. I think I didn't get a breakpoint chance, and I have played a lot of the best servers on the tour. And I couldn't read her serve, I couldn't understand where it was going. I think she played extremely well in the moment. She was fearless. She just kept going for it.

I think that's what, yeah, I think that's what these 18-year-olds are so good at doing. They just get after it. She was great from the ground as well. She mixed in a lot of balls that I didn't expect.

Yeah, I mean, she seems like a very good player and has a good head on her as well. Yeah, full credit to her for firstly qualifying, and winning three matches is not easy. But then to play a great match today, yeah, she's clearly up and coming.

Q. I know you're disappointed, but a word on Katie Swan and her win today and all she's been through.

KATIE BOULTER: I love that positivity. She's a close friend of mine. I have known her my whole entire life. I know the struggle she's been through. She's a great girl. She deserves every minute of today. It's great to see her back on the court where she belongs, winning matches.

Yeah, just a great human on and off the court. I wish her the best of luck. She's got a big game. She can disrupt anyone. She's got big weapons. Yeah, it's only been a matter of time before, you know, I personally believe she will be winning a lot of matches here.

Yeah, it's great to see her out there. Very happy for her. Yeah, I hope she can continue.