Katie Boulter's US Open Challenge Against Sasnovich
Katie Boulter faces Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the US Open, aiming to advance beyond the second round.
British tennis star Katie Boulter is about to step onto the court at Flushing Meadows, New York, facing Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich. This is a highly anticipated match that is set to start at 4 PM BST as it may hold great significance; for the first time this year, this 25-year-old Britonian is looking to advance beyond second round in Grand Slam.
British No.1, Katie Boulter had a decent season, earning two WTA Tour titles. However, she has been swift to exit significant tournaments due to surprising games and setbacks. On the other hand, Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich may become a challenge. The 30-year-old had to fight her way through qualifications, but Sasnovich has managed to get 11 singles titles on the ITF Circuit so far.
Besides Boulter, there is another British player on the court today. Dan Evans will be facing Russia’s Karen Khachanov later on, at 6:30 PM BST. It is worth mentioning that reports indicate Jelena Ostapenko caused the first major upset of this year’s US Open, as she eliminated fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka. Other notable games include the recent departure of Andy Murray from US Open and the 21-year-old Jannik Sinner’s preparations for the tournament after having his doping allegation cleared in July.
As we watch Boulter and Sasnovich play today, it’s hard not to ponder what a win would mean for either of these athletes. This could set the course for Boulter’s career as she has been doing quite well in them compared to other tournaments this year. But this is more than “just” a first-round game from Boulter; the question is whether she will be able to handle pressure that comes during Grand Slams and turn the success from this season in some sort of a boost in majors. On the other hand, participation in the first round of US Open gives Sasnovich the well-earned title of one of the best 32 female tennis players in the world. However, a victory means moving up and becoming one of the 16 highest-ranked players, but there is an added sense of importance since Boulter is six places higher than her.
