Katie Boulter is still remaining optimistic despite her chances of gaining an automatic main draw entry to the Australian Open fading away.
It’s been a mixed year for Boulter who was the British number one at some point during the season but is now the British number five.
After a mixture of injuries and a bad run of form, Boulter is now ranked at 100 in the world and is on the brink of having to qualify for the Australian Open in January.
104 players will have automatic entry to the Australian Open but that includes protected rankings which means Boulter could miss out on Melbourne.
However, Boulter still has a chance to improve her ranking with a WTA 125 in Angers taking place on the 1st of December if she decides to play.
Speaking ahead of next season Boulter has admitted she needs to choose between prioritising her body or her ranking, “I’m in this predicament myself right now, and it’s almost like I have to choose between my body or my ranking,” Boulter told the BBC Sport website.
“I think I know my own right choice, but it’s difficult because it means that everyone else is going to be playing and passing me. If there are tournaments there, it gives you an opportunity because you want to make the main draw of Australia.”
Unlike the ATP tour, the WTA tour still has tournaments ongoing as players bid to make the main draw of the Australian Open automatically.
Speaking about the comparisons Boulter believes the ATP’s decision to use this week’s rankings as the final rankings towards the Australian Open entry list is probably the right thing to do, “I do think that would probably be the smart thing to do,” Boulter stated to BBC sport.
“There has to be somewhere where you draw the line and you give people an opportunity to recuperate and also get a good pre-season in. I feel like this year we’ve seen so many burnouts, and so many people not playing the end of year because of mental health issues as well as body issues, and I do think it contributes to it.”
As for on-court performances, Boulter has tailed off after being inside the world’s top 25 in the past.
The belief for the British number five is the aim is to be inside the world’s top 20 and as she now looks for a new coach that will be the goal ahead of the 2026 season, “Going forward with a new coach, one thing I’m very clear on is that they are going to be someone who has a lot of experience in how to make it to the very top level of this game,” Boulter explained.
“I’ve been ranked as high as 23 and I know I can get back there. I don’t think my level has gone anywhere, I think the consistency needs to improve. My goal is not to be ranked 50, 40, 30, 20 – we’ve been there. The goal is to be inside 20.”
Katie Boulter’s 2025 Season
Australian Open: R2 (l. Kudermetova)
Indian Wells: R3 (l. Rybakina)
Miami: R1 (l. Stearns)
Madrid: R2 (l. Paolini)
Rome: R1 (l. Pavlyuchenkova)
Paris 125: Champion
Roland Garros: R2 (l. Keys)
Queen’s Club: R2 (l. Shnaider)
Nottingham: Quarter-Finals (l. Kessler)
Wimbledon: R2 (l. Sierra)
Washington D.C.: R1 (l. Sakkari)
Montreal: R1 (l. Zarazua)
Cincinnati: R1 (l. Danilovic)
Cleveland: R2 (l. Golubic)
US Open: R1 (l. Kostyuk)
Beijing: R2 (l. Anisimova)
Wuhan: QR1 (l. Tomova)
Osaka: R2 (l. Cirstea)
Tokyo: R1 (l. Lys)
Hong Kong: R1 (l. Eala)
