Great Britain’s Katie Boulter pulled off the win of the United Cup so far on Sunday in Perth with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the United States’ Jessica Pegula in Group C action.
After leading the U.S. team to the title 12 months ago in the competition’s first edition — she went 8-1 across singles and doubles last year — Pegula looked on course for a fairly uncomplicated win to open the Americans’ title defense. In the match’s first hour, she turned a 4-2 first-set deficit to a 7-5, 3-0 lead — winning six straight games after saved three set points on serve at 4-5.
But Boulter caught fire from a set and double-break down, and after 2 hours and 44 minutes, scored her first-ever Top 5 victory in her seventh attempt. Her best previous win by ranking came in 2022, when she beat then-World No.7 Karolina Pliskova twice in a month’s span on grass in Eastbourne and at Wimbledon.
After the first two hours of play and two split sets, Pegula broke serve to start the decider but never again led. Boulter responded immediately, and neither woman had break point until the Brit seized a 30-40 chance in the eighth game. Though she failed to serve out victory, she wouldn’t be denied, and broke for an eighth and final time to seal the upset.
Twenty forehand winners — and 23/30 points won at net — helped Boulter’s cause.
With Great Britain having already beaten host Australia 2-1 in its first round-robin tie two days ago, the team can strengthen its case for a potential quarterfinal berth should Cameron Norrie beat Taylor Fritz in men’s singles later today.
More to come…
