Katie Boulter faced world No. 7 Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells, putting up a strong fight before losing 6-0, 7-5 in the third round. Rybakina quickly won the first set, leveraging her powerful serve. The match shifted in the second set as Rybakina struggled with her service game. Boulter had a chance to level the match at 5-4 but was thwarted by Rybakina’s remarkable backhand. This crucial moment affected Boulter’s confidence, allowing Rybakina to regain control and secure her victory. Additionally, British player Cameron Norrie was eliminated by American Tommy Paul in his match on the same day.
Katie Boulter fought valiantly but was unable to overcome Elena Rybakina on Sunday, as the British women’s No. 1 suffered a 6-0, 7-5 loss in the third round at Indian Wells.
Rybakina needed only 26 minutes to seize the first set, winning 80% of her points on first serve during the match in California.
However, the dynamics shifted in the second set when Rybakina’s serving rhythm faltered.
Boulter appeared well-positioned to equalize as she served for the second set with a 5-4 advantage, but a stunning backhand return from the Russian-born Kazakhstani seemed to shake the Brit’s confidence.
The world No. 7 capitalized on Boulter’s momentary hesitation, turning the tables to secure her spot in the next round.
In other matches on Sunday, fellow British player Cameron Norrie had his Indian Wells run halted by American Tommy Paul.