Katie Boulter ‘proud to be British’ as French Open star tables World Cup request | Tennis | Sport

The World Cup might still be a couple of weeks away, but Katie Boulter is ready to support the Three Lions in her campaign. The British No. 3 has already asked Nike to send her an England shirt in time for their first game against Croatia. A Leicester City fan, Boulter famously donned their kit during Wimbledon back in 2018 and will no doubt be following England’s progress while competing at SW19 this year.

Boulter herself loves representing her country in the Billie Jean King Cup, and explained that, from a young age, she had been “proud to be British”, thanks to her family’s influence.

With England’s first game now 22 days away, the world No. 71 said: “I have already spoken to Nike, and my shirt is on the way, so whether it’s the red one or the white one, I’m not sure yet. I told them to surprise me. We’ll see which one they bring out, but I’m always supporting, of course.”

It’s not just sport that gets Boulter feeling patriotic. “I think from a young age it was instilled in me that anything to do with the Queen, the royal family, just being proud to be British, I think that was something I really took on at school,” she explained.

“Everything was celebrated. I think I remember a few street parties that, you know, our village had, and it was just a really nice way to get into the patriotic spirit I think, and it’s something that I’ve taken very seriously from a very young age and then obviously getting the chance to represent Great Britain my very first time was when I was seven years old in an under-9 tournament.

“That little tiny tot has taken that passion all the way through to now. Yeah, it is one of my biggest drives and my biggest, yeah, proud moments, I think.”

There are, understandably, times when it’s difficult to find that passion on the court. Boulter came through a two-hour and 20-minute battle with teenage wildcard Akasha Urhobo on Monday, in a match that saw a combined 93 unforced errors. The Brit admitted she had been struggling physically, something that made her feel “grumpy” on the court.

“I can’t [tell you what it is]. I wish I could. I think it’s just been cumulative over the last few weeks, maybe playing with a bit of an illness. I really expected to feel a bit better today walking on the court, but I wasn’t fully there. Whether it was just a little bit of the conditions, a little bit of the last few weeks, I haven’t quite got enough rest, I’m not entirely sure,” she said.

“I mean, taking all of that into consideration, I think, ultimately, only the players really know what it’s like to consistently put their body on the line when they’re not feeling amazing. It’s something I’ve done throughout my whole entire career, and I feel like the more I do it, the more I struggle with it, because I’ve pushed through so many different things that, you know, now when I don’t feel 100 per cent, I can be a little bit more grumpy than usual.

“I mean, it’s like when you go to work, and I’m sure you’ve all experienced it, you go to work and you’re tired, but you still have to push through. Our job is so physical, and we need to be 100 per cent to get the best out of our game.”

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