Boulter loses to end British hopes in women's singles

French Open 2025

Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros

Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app

British number one Katie Boulter was unable to cause a shock against American seventh seed Madison Keys as the nation's involvement in the French Open women's singles came to an end.

Boulter lost 6-1 6-3 to Australian Open champion Keys in the second round, with a lot of self-inflicted damage caused by nine double faults across her eight service games.

"If you don't have a great serving day against someone like that, you're always under pressure," said Boulter, who was broken five times.

"I think almost every service game I hit a double-fault. Against someone of that calibre, you just can't afford to do that."

Boulter's exit came a few hours after fellow Briton Sonay Kartal was also knocked out.

Kartal, competing in her first French Open, struggled for consistency in a 6-1 6-4 loss to Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova.

The pair followed Emma Raducanu out of the clay-court Grand Slam tournament after she lost to reigning champion Iga Swiatek on Wednesday.

All three players are provisionally ranked inside the world's top 50 as their tussle for the title of Britain's leading women's player continues in the grass-court season.

Boulter is still out in front at 38th in the world, three places ahead of Raducanu and 18 spots clear of 56th-ranked Kartal.

No British women reaching the Paris third round is a reality check after the euphoria of Boulter, Kartal and Raducanu winning their opening matches.

The trio were among the six British singles players who won in the first round - the biggest tally since 1973.

Like Raducanu, Boulter had the unenviable task of facing one of the world's best players on Court Philippe Chatrier and the gulf between the pair was clear.

The 28-year-old started promisingly as she created four break points but, after being unable to convert, her momentum quickly disappeared and her serve began to break down.

Double faults handed over both of Keys' breaks in the opening set, with another coming on break point in the first game of the second set.

Boulter's second serve continued to buckle as she was broken again for 4-1 and, although she battled to recover it in the eighth game, she lost serve again as 30-year-old Keys secured victory with her second match point.

"It was a really tough match. I was a little bit off the mark," said Boulter.

"Granted, she was hitting the ball pretty clean but I felt like I was just slightly off at the start.

"If I'd maybe got one of those breaks or held to go 2-2, it may have been a little bit easier for myself."

Despite the disappointing nature of the defeat, Boulter will reflect positively on her clay-court season.

She dropped down to the second-tier of the WTA Tour and was rewarded with a maiden clay title in the French capital in the build-up to Roland Garros.

Playing on clay has never come easy to Boulter, who has struggled for fluidity and trust in her movement.

The way she was outclassed by Keys was a reminder of her inferior quality on the surface, but now can focus on the grass, where her serve and forehand can thrive.

Kartal was playing in the French Open main draw for the first time, having climbed more than 200 places in the rankings over the past year.

The British number three has moved provisionally into the world's top 50 after her opening win and hopes to stay there for the grass season and beyond.

"The top 50 was my end of year goal," said Kartal.

"It was something that I wanted to hit, and with the way I started the year, I definitely thought I could hit it sooner than I was hoping.

"Staying there is now the new goal."

Neither Kartal nor Bouzkova began with fluency, with the Briton broken in the first service game of the match.

Kartal could not convert a break back point in the next game and quickly found herself 4-0 down before she finally held serve.

Bouzkova, a talented doubles player, dictated the action and a double fault from Kartal handed her the first set.

The second set was topsy-turvy, with the players exchanging six breaks of serve before Bouzkova finally held for 5-4.

Kartal, 23, showed good grit in her final service game, saving four match points before Bouzkova finally converted.