Veronika Kudermetova catches Katie Boulter cold in chilly Melbourne
The British number one fell to a 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-2 defeat.
Katie Boulter’s hopes of a strong Australian Open run ended in disappointing fashion with a second-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova.
Seeded for the first time at Melbourne Park, Boulter looked to have a good chance of breaking new ground and reaching the second week of a grand slam.
But, having survived a nail-biter in the first round against Rebecca Marino, she could not repeat the feat against Kudermetova, falling to a 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-2 defeat.
The loss is particularly disappointing because Boulter had begun the season so well at the United Cup, where she came extremely close to upsetting Iga Swiatek.
Kudermetova has slipped to 75 in the rankings after a poor year but she is a former top-10 player and caught Boulter cold on a chilly Melbourne evening.
The British number one won only one of the first six games but then mounted a comeback, saving three set points at 5-2 in a run of four games in a row.
Midway through that sequence there was a long delay when Kudermetova called the trainer for apparent tightness in her chest or back.
Fiance Alex De Minaur, trying to stay incognito in a black hoodie and cap, cheered Boulter on but Kudermetova stopped the run of games against her to force a tie-break and was the better player in it.
Boulter needed a good start to the second set and she got it, moving 4-1 ahead, and she appeared to be the steadier of the two in this first-strike battle.
Boulter also seemed in the ascendancy at the start of the decider but she could not find a break of the Kudermetova serve and it was the Russian who struck in the sixth game before pulling away.
