Katie Boulter's first run as British number one ends in Japan as Katerina Siniakova powers to a 6-1 6-4 semi-final win.
Katie Boulter's reign as British number one has started with a setback. Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova beat her 6-1 6-4 in the Japan Open semi-finals.
The opening set got away from Boulter early. Siniakova took control of the rallies and gave the Briton very little room to settle. A 6-1 scoreline says it all: this was one-way traffic, and Boulter needed a fast reset.
She found more resistance in the second set and made Siniakova work harder for it. But the Czech held her nerve in the key moments and closed out a 6-4 win to book her place in the final. It is a strong result for a player best known for her work on the doubles court.
For Boulter, the loss stings but does not erase a week of progress. Reaching the last four is a solid result for a player adjusting to life at the top of British tennis, and the new ranking brings fresh expectations. The next step is turning deep runs like this into finals and trophies.
