Friday 1 July 2022 01:00 AM So ill that she couldn't leave bed... now she is a new tennis golden girl! trends now
As she darted from one side of the court to the other yesterday, few watching Katie Boulter will have suspected that, as well as dealing with the immense grief of losing her grandmother, just six years ago she was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome so debilitating she couldn’t get out of bed.
Not only that, but in 2019 the 25-year-old suffered a serious back injury that saw her consigned to the sidelines for months.
Her remarkable comeback demonstrates a steely resolve that fans now hope will propel her even further through this year’s Wimbledon.
So who is the 5ft 11in powerhouse from Leicester with the perfect ponytail, who is now carrying the hopes of a nation?
One thing’s for certain, she’s no flash in the pan.
Katie Boulter produced the biggest win of her career by upsetting Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova on Centre Court to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time
Precociously talented, Katie won the first tournament she ever entered – the Leicestershire under-10s – aged just five.
By the time she was ten she was claiming national titles and representing Great Britain, following in the footsteps of her mother Sue, also a junior GB international who twice captained Leicestershire to the County Cup.
Growing up in the upmarket village of Woodhouse Eaves, Katie and her older brother James – a keen tennis player, who now works in public relations – would join their mother at Leicestershire Lawn Tennis Club, which was within ‘lobbing distance’ of the family home.
Aged four when she first picked up a racquet, Katie was determined to beat her older brother. ‘When Katie was tiny, she would be waiting at the side of the court while I was coaching, desperate to have a go,’ Sue recalls.
‘That’s how she came to enter the under-10s event, it wasn’t planned. I’ve still got a photo of the presentation. The other girl is giving her a glare, but Katie is just grinning into the camera, as happy as could be.’
A tearful Boulter revealed it had been an exceptionally emotional time, saying: 'I've got no words, I'm literally shaking, the crowd was unbelievable. 'My gran passed away two days ago and I'd like to dedicate this win to her. It's a dream come true. I've got hopefully many more matches to play'
Katie’s mum, who is divorced from her father David, travels widely to support her daughter and was in the stands yesterday alongside Katie’s grandfather, Brian Gartshore.
Katie’s Instagram page is full of snaps of her and the
