Katie Boulter Falls to Eva Lys in Tokyo, Extending Recent Struggles
TOKYO – Katie Boulter, Great Britain’s third-ranked female tennis player, suffered a swift defeat at the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday, losing in straight sets to Germany‘s Eva Lys. The 29-year-old was convincingly beaten 6-2, 6-1 in a match lasting just one hour and 14 minutes.
Boulter’s loss comes at a challenging time for British tennis, following Emma Raducanu’s recent announcement that illness will prematurely end her season. With Raducanu sidelined, all eyes were on Boulter to carry the flag for Great Britain in Tokyo, but this result continues a worrying trend for the former world number 29. She has now failed to reach the third round of a tournament as the Nottingham Open in June, raising questions about her current form as the season progresses.
Lys, ranked 44th in the world, dominated the match, capitalizing on Boulter’s struggles with her first serve – winning only 50% of points on it – and breaking her serve five times throughout the contest. This defeat is Boulter’s second straight-sets loss in as many weeks, following a second-round exit at the Japan Open last week against Sorana Cirstea, currently ranked 51st.
Boulter will now look to regroup and rediscover her form ahead of the remaining tournaments on the WTA tour. The result leaves a void in British depiction at the Pan Pacific Open, and underscores the need for emerging talent to step up in the absence of key players like Raducanu.
