Katie Boulter rallied past Antonia Ruzic in three sets to book a Japan Open semi-final spot and take back the top British ranking.
Katie Boulter is back on top of British tennis. She came through a testing quarter-final at the Japan Open, outlasting Antonia Ruzic in three sets to move into the last four and reclaim the British No. 1 ranking.
The match did not go to plan early on, and Boulter had to find another gear to turn it around. Rather than let the contest slip, she tightened up her game, took control of the key moments and closed out the win in the decider.
The result carries double weight. A semi-final berth keeps her title hopes alive in Japan, and the ranking bump restores her as the leading name in the British women's game, a status she clearly wants to hold on to.
Next up is a place in the final. If Boulter brings the same resilience she showed against Ruzic, she will be a tough out for whoever stands across the net.
