Britain’s Katie Boulter feeling the love in New York after first win at US Open

Katie Boulter says she is feeling the love in New York after securing a first-career win at the US Open.

The British number one looked at home on a packed Court Six at Flushing Meadows as she raced past France’s Diane Parry 6-4 6-0.

Boulter hit 31 winners and illustrated her confidence on the big stage by saving a break point as she served for the match, before finishing Parry off with a 106mph ace.

“I felt the love out there today, which was really, really nice,” said the 27-year-old.

“It was such a good atmosphere. What I love about it the most is those front courts where they have all the matches going along all the time.

“It’s a challenge for me to focus and stay in the moment, and not hear all the other courts going on, which is what I did unbelievably well today.

“The fans got me over the line. I don’t know if they were British, American. I think they were everything, which was super nice.

“There were a lot of GB flags, which made me feel very at home, which was very nice.

“I did appreciate it out there. You know, it’s when you hear, like, little kids screaming your name, that’s when it pushes you. It makes you think for a second, ‘hey, this is where I want to be and these are the matches that I want to play’.”

Jodie Burrage joined Boulter and Lily Miyazaki in the second round and made it a magnificent seven in total, including the men, after beating Anna Blinkova 6-3 6-4.

Incredibly, not one of them dropped a single set over the course of the first round.

Burrage, who was the last of the finishers at just before 9pm, said: “I felt a little pressure going on the court after obviously all the Brits winning today.

“I wish I hadn’t known that going on, but who knows, maybe it helped me?”

Burrage, 24, faces second seed and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in round two.