Katie Boulter’s Triumph Sweeps Miami Open!
Katie Boulter will play Clara Tauson in the second round - Rich Storry/Getty Images Katie Boulter’s time in the United States might not have gone to plan, but she claimed a solid 7-6 (11-9), 6-4 victory against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the opening round of the Miami Open. Having enjoyed an impressive start to the year, which included winning a fourth career title at the Ostrava Open, Boulter was unable to reach the main draw of Indian Wells after not making it through qualifying. But in Miami, she fought hard from the outset, especially when saving four set points in a row in the tie break.
What a performance from Katie Boulter as she wins in straight sets in Miami! 💥 pic. twitter.
com/dAXVOymWAH — Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 17, 2026 Last year was an inconsistent one for Boulter, who started 2025 inside the world’s top 25, but by the end of the year had slipped to 100th. After the aforementioned difficult campaign, Boulter split with her previously long-term coach Biljana Veselinovic and hired Maria Sharapova’s former coach Michael Joyce and seems to have worked in her favour. After only reaching the Australian Open because of withdrawals, Boulter has fought her way from world No 120 to number 67 by the start of the Miami Open.
This year, she has earned more ranking points than compatriots Emma Raducanu and Sonay Kartal, who are ranked higher than her. With both of them withdrawing from Miami, she will want to close the gap. The first set of the contest itself ebbed and flowed more than a river.
Both players broke each other with ease to force a tie break. Despite Bouzas Maneiro carving out a 6-2 advantage, Boulter fought her way back into the contest to level at 6-6, before eventually taking it 11-9 with a huge yell of celebration. What a tie-break 🤯 Katie Boulter takes an incredible first set of tennis in Miami!
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