Saturday, November 23, 2024

Wimbledon 2024: Katie Boulter and Jack Draper lead British hopes at the All England Club

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Both players will be seeded at Wimbledon for the first time, a reward for their fine progress over recent months.

The leading 32 players are given a Grand Slam seeding, meaning they cannot face another seed until the third round.

Boulter is 32nd in the world rankings having helped consolidate her position by retaining her WTA title in Nottingham earlier this month.

That was her second trophy of the season after winning the biggest title of her career in San Diego in March.

“I do feel I’m playing really good tennis and I’ve changed a lot from last year,” said Boulter, who is aiming to go beyond the third round for the first time.

“I’ve improved a lot as a player and become a lot more consistent.”

Draper is 29th in the men’s rankings, breaking new ground by climbing into the world’s top 30 for the first time.

Winning his first ATP title in Stuttgart, plus an eye-catching win over Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz to reach the Queen’s quarter-finals, have propelled him into that position.

“If you want to be a top, top player in the world, you have to back up results week by week, day by day,” Draper said.

“That’s the next stage for me now.”

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