US Open star Boulter and fellow Brits set target as Robson decides on comeback
Laura Robson is backing the likes of Harriet Dart and Heather Watson to follow in Katie Boulter’s footsteps by re-entering the world’s top 100. Both women were unable to qualify for the US Open but Robson believes they will still push each other along while Boulter could keep lifting her own ranking. However, the former British No 1 won’t be able to return to tennis and join them as she admitted her own body was “in pieces” when she played invitational legends matches.
Six of the seven Brits are in action at the US Open on Tuesday, including top-ranked Boulter and Jodie Burrage. They are the only British women to make it directly into the main draw based on their own ranking, while Lily Miyazaki came through qualifying and beat Margarita Betova in the first round.
It’s a positive sign, given that zero British women made the French Open main draw while they all needed wildcards for Wimbledon. And Robson believes the success of Boulter and Burrage can push their lower-ranked countrywomen up into the top 100. The 29-year-old said: “Jodie’s just snuck into [the] main draw for [the] US. So definitely two girls, which is a step in the right direction from where we were just a couple of weeks ago with everyone needing wild cards at Wimbledon.
“But I would say, you know, Swanny [Katie Swan], Heather, Harriet, they should all be in the top 100 and they would say the same thing. And apart from Swanny, they’ve been there before. And they would definitely be looking at that as their next goal.”
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A former world No 27 herself, Robson thought Swan, Dart and Watson all had the game to keep climbing as she added: “But I honestly think they’ll push each other along. And in the same way that they sometimes seem to get injured at the same time as well, but, yeah, I definitely think they have all got the tennis to do it and it’s just a matter of when, not if.”
Boulter is one of the British players who has been struck down by injuries in the past, picking up a stress fracture in her back in 2019 – months after making her top 100 debut. Now fit and healthy again, she has had a successful 2023 season including winning her maiden WTA Tour title in Nottingham.
“Yeah, I think everyone expected it,” Robson said of the 27-year-old’s recent success. “You know, she’s been so close before when she got injured last time she was around 85, 89 or something and was playing some of the best tennis of her career. So to see her back where she belongs, it’s fantastic.
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“And to be honest, once you’re playing those Masters tournaments, when you’re playing main draw consistently, it’s quite, not easy, but it’s definitely more doable to stay there or to move higher, because a couple of matches here and there, the draws open up and all of a sudden you’ve got a 90 points on your ranking, which to do the equivalent of that Challenger is very, very difficult, you’ve got to win a lot more matches. So just putting yourself in the position to pick up some, not cheap points, but you know what I mean? Just no freebies on her ranking anymore, basically.”
Naming some new goals for Boulter, Robson also thought the British No 1 had some healthy competition with her boyfriend, ATP No 13 Alex de Minaur. “So I think, you know, top 50 would definitely be the next goal, and then we’ll see,” she continued. “But she must be thinking [she will be] hopefully seeded at some point next year at a Slam would be great for her. And yeah, she’s trying to do one better than Alex de Minaur, which is probably still feeling like quite a long way off, but hopefully she can get there.”
As for Robson herself, the 29-year-old won’t be looking to join her countrywomen back on the tour after retiring due to a hip injury. With Caroline Wozniacki recently leaving retirement to return to tennis after three years, the former world No 27 admitted it would be a near-impossible task.
“I do [think about returning] and then I hit for about an hour and I’m in pieces and that thought leaves me very quickly,” she explained. “Even playing the Invitational [at Wimbledon] this year took out my hip so badly. I’m going to need a replacement or something done at some point, I can feel it already. So I’m just putting it off, but yeah, in the back of my mind, I’m thinking after [the] US Open, I need to go and see my surgeon again. It would definitely be nice to be back out there, but it’s not on the cards for me.”
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