By Ros Satar
- Katie Boulter [2] def. Aoi Ito 6-6 6-4
- Meets Wang Xiyu in round two
- H2H: First Meeting
HONG KONG – Katie Boulter proves too strong for Aoi Ito and faces Wang Xiyu in the second round.
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Katie Boulter [2] def. Aoi Ito 6-6 6-4
The end of the Asian swing really seems to be suiting Katie Boulter. Although she was on the receiving end of a chastening loss against Sofia Kenin in Tokyo, she has been quick to put that behind her and was in solid form against Japan’s Aoi Ito.
Boulter put Ito under pressure early, forcing the Japanese player to defend three break points before the first change of ends, and put her under pressure once more, forcing two more saves. She put up a flurry of resistance bringing up her first break point chance against Boulter but couldn’t covert, and was broken in the next game, leaving Boulter to serve the first set out to love.
Boulter kept that momentum by breaking right at the start of the second set and kept that advantage, closing out the set on her first match point.
Katie Boulter [2] v Wang Xiyu | H2H: First Meeting
| Katie Boulter [2] v Wang Xiyu | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $2,890 |
| Second on Centre Court, not before 3:30pm (7:30am GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Next up for Boulter will be China’s Wang Xiyu.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
| H2H: | Katie Boulter (WR 29) | Wang Xiyu (WR 100) |
| Tournament Previous Best | Debut | R1 (22023) |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 36.4 | 34.3 |
| Return Points Won % | 43.6 | 42.6 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 40.2 | 48.6 |
| Break Points Saved % | 55.1 | 61.9 |
| Overall Service Points Won % | 59.1 | 60.0 |
These stats paint a very interesting picture. Boulter has picked up momentum in the latter half of the year, and Wang had a strong start on the hard courts at the start of the year, but could cause issues for Boulter.
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Playing Styles & Prediction
It is time to pray for the little yellow fluffies as the aggressive play of both players means we can expect thudding ground-strokes from the baseline. Wang’ stats in terms of getting out of tricky situations facing break points against her means Boulter will face a frustrating time trying to get past her defences.
It has been a standout year for Boulter who now plays more with a target on her back, and while she has improved her movement and added variety to her game, she can still struggle to find answers at times, and she will need to knuckle down to come through this one.
Prediction: Boulter in three sets.
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