sport news 'She can be way better than she is': Katie Boulter's coach says GB star can ...

Sitting quietly courtside, away from the frantic GB team bench, Jeremy Bates was the least surprised person in the Copper Box at the way Katie Boulter battled her way to the clinching Fed Cup victory.

The former British men's No 1 has seen her defeat chronic fatigue syndrome as a teenager, and stage many comebacks of the type that did for Zarina Dyas on Sunday to give GB promotion to the competition's World Group level.

Bates is the coach who has guided her into the world's top 100, and he believes there is much more to come from the British player most likely to keep Jo Konta company near the top of the world game.

Katie Boulter battled her way to the clinching Fed Cup victory against Zarina Diyas

Katie Boulter battled her way to the clinching Fed Cup victory against Zarina Diyas

'I think some people were a bit shocked by the level she showed in Australia in January, but I had seen a lot of that last year,' he said after Boulter had carried GB across the line to a 3-1 win.

'If you look at many of her matches last season she was winning them from a set down, like on Sunday. It is because she is a natural competitor... In five years of working with her I couldn't point to a match in which she hasn't competed properly.'

Boulter's development was arrested by her missing most of 2015 with chronic fatigue. It would be easy to suggest that bouncing back from that was the making of her, although Bates is not so sure.

'That might have shown her what she was missing but I worked with her in the juniors before that, and she was a good competitor then just as she is now.

'She has weapons that intimidate other players and can really smoke the ball, especially on her forehand. The exciting thing is that she can be way better than she is now because there is still loads to work on,' he said. 

Boulter celebrates with her coach Jeremy Bates after completing her victory on Sunday

Boulter celebrates with her coach Jeremy Bates after completing her victory on Sunday

He declined to go into specifics, although it is a safe bet to say that her serve is still well short of its true potential.

'It's gratifying to see her improvement already through the work she has done, and also because she is a nice person off the court. She has a lot of time for people is very approachable. In fact I've sometimes told her that she wants to please other people a little bit too much.'

Bates, one of Britain's most experienced coaches and still a notably good veteran player himself at 57, sees a broadly encouraging picture of elite women's tennis in the UK, while preaching some caution.

'One thing I've learned over the years is that mentality and attitude is the most valuable thing, more than just athletic talent. Jo (Konta) has set the bar very high and I think she has been inspirational for

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