Boulter and Draper lead rejuvenated Brits set to make mark in Melbourne

Just a few hours before the new year commenced, Katie Boulter stepped on to the RAC Arena in Perth determined to make a statement at the start of the season. Although she initially trailed America’s Jessica Pegula, the world No 5, by a set and a double break in their United Cup tussle, Boulter methodically turned the contest around with mature, controlled aggression to clinch the biggest win of her career.

After being ranked outside the top 150 in May, unable to remain fit and struggling to bring her best tennis away from the spotlight on the lowly ITF Tour, the 27-year-old finished the season having broken into the top 50, winning her first WTA title. She is now ranked No 57 and continues to develop a reputation as a danger to almost all of the top seeds.

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More important, Boulter knows she has plenty of room to improve. She is beginning the new season full of confidence and far from content about her past success. A tough tie against Yuan Yue, a semi‑finalist in Hobart this past week, awaits in the first round of the Australian Open, but it is a match Boulter has shown she is capable of winning.

“I played a lot of great matches last year,” she said. “I played a lot of people with probably not the highest rankings and I felt like I wanted to prove myself on every surface against every single player, really stamp my authority that I am a top-hundred player.

“It’s never been a goal for me. Top hundred has not been my number. I think I did that five years ago. That was something I ticked off the box. Now I really want to keep pushing. Even 50, I’ve ticked that off as well. Now it’s time to start getting up to the real business side of tennis.”

The positivity exhibited by Boulter is reflected elsewhere among the British contingent in Melbourne. Both singles draws are as well represented by British players as they have been in a long time.

Last year, after Emma Raducanu’s injuries tanked her ranking, no British woman was ranked highly enough to contest the main draw. This time, there is a group of three pushing each other. While Raducanu’s comeback continues, Jodie Burrage will try to properly establish herself among the elite after breaking into the top 100 last year.

Having reached a career high of No 85, the 24-year-old is now No 102, still with work to do in order to ensure she completes the jump from the lower level ITF Tour to compete at the highest level week in, week out.

There was once a time when the British men’s No 2 behind Andy Murray was ranked outside the top 100, but there are now four men ranked around the top 50 with realistic goals of reaching the second week of the grand slams.

After his countless injury problems, Jack Draper continues to rise back up the rankings and is looking a significant threat. The 22-year-old has followed up his strong finish to 2023 with a brilliant start, reaching the final of the Adelaide International. There is little doubt Draper has a game big and complete enough to compete with most top players. If he is able to navigate the quick turnaround and defeat Marcos Giron in the first round, a big second-round meeting with another American, Tommy Paul, could be next.

Despite his difficult end to last season, Murray has cut an extremely positive figure in Australia. The 36-year-old has spoken about the need to ensure he enjoys himself more and contain his frustration.

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There are also injury questions surrounding the top men. After a tricky second half to 2023, Cameron Norrie ended the year with a strong win over Alex de Minaur in the United Cup and said he feels mentally refreshed. In Auckland, though, the 28-year-old was forced to withdraw before his second‑round match because of a wrist injury. It remains unclear if he has had enough time to recover.

Last year, Dan Evans’s season was ended by a calf injury, from which he is still recovering. The 33-year-old could face a significant second‑round match against Carlos Alcaraz.

“Definitely can win my first round,” said Evans of facing Lorenzo Sonego. “It’s how my body holds up and how it will recover. It was sore last week. I just haven’t had as much practice and training as I would really like. But you can have as much practice as you like. If you’re playing Alcaraz, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win anyway.”

Regardless of the challenges at the beginning of the season, it is undeniable that Britain finally has a strong presence on both tours, with numerous players capable of beating top opponents and making deep runs. They are pushing each other, directly by regularly training together and through their own successes providing inspiration for each other. We will see how far they can go.