When Elena Rybakina swiftly extinguished Katie Boulter’s Wimbledon campaign on Centre Court on Saturday night, the last Briton plummeted out of the singles tournament at the All England Club.
But Boulter shrugged off the disappointment. “I wouldn’t say that [being the last Briton] enters my mind too much,” she said after her 6-1 6-1 loss to defending champion Rybakina.
“Of course I want to do my best every single day but I can only focus on myself, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.
Boulter couldn’t find the answers against Rybakina
“I will always reflect back on something positive,” she continued. “The crowd are incredible. You know, going out there, every single point they’re behind me and I felt them at all times. I wanted to give them a bit more.
“Unfortunately I couldn’t do that. But I appreciated them every single second I was out there.”
She insisted she can build from that defeat. “I’ve got a great rest of the year ahead of me,” Boulter said. “It’s a really good opportunity for me to keep pushing my ranking up and really make a statement.
“They’re the matches that I want to be playing,” she continued. “I want to compete against the best in the world, and I’m going to have to do that week in, week out.
“Some days you play good. Some days you don’t. Some days they go your way. The more matches I play like that, the more confidence and the more information I’ll get about myself and I can try and improve myself.”
Rybakina looked to be a level above Boulter when they played. “I wouldn’t say I really felt like I got into the match fully. She’s clearly the defending champion for a reason, and I learnt a lot,” the Briton said.
“There’s a handful of players who are at the top of game who you have to adjust and you have to get yourself ready for that. I have done before. I feel like I have played serves like that, but obviously today it was too much for me.
Boulter had to acknowledge that Rybakina was much better on the day (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
“I’m going to continue to work on myself and my return, but it’s definitely been improving a lot over the past few months without a doubt. Today was a small blip in the returning game.
“She was relentless at the end of the day. She was the much better player.”
Boulter believes there are positives to be found. “It’s part of this sport and ultimately I have to pick myself up,” she said. “I’m going to sit here tomorrow morning and tell you that I’m at a career high.
“I’ve had some seriously positive weeks. I’ve come off the back of five long weeks with no injuries, no issues. They’re the things I’m going to be focusing on and really pushing forward on the rest of the year.
“I would have loved to have gotten a win today but I have to take the positives. I’m quite a positive person and I don’t doubt I’ll be bringing those into my mind tomorrow.”
