Australian Open 2025: Katie Boulter pulls out gutsy win over Rebecca Marino to make the second round
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Katie Boulter had to dig deep to come through a brutal opening round clash with Canada’s Rebecca Marino at the Australian Open.
Boulter had to save three break points in a tough deciding set to see out a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win in two hours and 16 minutes.
Her victory makes it six British players into the second round of singles for the first time in the Open Era – joining Emma Raducanu, Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley.
“That was way too stressful for me, I would have really preferred a much easy match. She came out firing today – it’s because of you guys (the crowd) that I got through this match.
“That was massively mental for me. I’ve been playing great tennis on the practice court, and I tried so hard to put that on the match court but sometimes when you force it, it doesn’t work and I found that out tonight.
“She was playing great and I know how tough she can be and I’m just happy I found a way. Sometimes that’s what these first round matches are all about.”
The 22nd seed will move on to play Veronika Kudermetova in the second round, who eased past home favourite Olivia Gadecki 6-1, 6-1. It will be the first time the two players have met.
Boulter had to respond quickly after two doubles faults on her opening service game saw her go a break down, but the Brit fired back instantly to get back on level terms.
At 3-3, Boulter’s impressive depth on the return helped set up a further three break points at 0-40, which she took at the first time of asking after a wayward forehand for from the world No.98.
With the chance to serve out the set, the British No.1 had to keep her nerve to stave off a break point before Marino’s 15th and 16th unforced errors of the opener gifted the advantage to Boulter.
Marino came out swinging at the start of the second and in similar fashion to the first, blasted her way through Boulter’s first service game to go on and take a much needed 3-0 lead.
Boulter managed to steady the ship on her serve, but Marino looked a different player. She won all but six points behind her serve in the second set – closing it out behind the serve with a perfectly timed forehand winner down the line.
The Briton had to hang on at the start of the decider – saving three break points in her first two service games as she tried to ride the wave of Marino’s dominance in rallies through the middle of the court.
Boulter fought hard and raised her game to keep on serve and in front throughout the third set and with the match on the line got her reward.
Marino had barely put a foot wrong on serve all set, but leading 6-5, the Brit connected on a brilliant down the line winner to set up a second match point, only for the Canadian to land a forehand in the net.
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