Katie Boulter is set to play her first tournament since winning her fourth career title at the Ostrava Open.
Boulter endured a tough 2025 season, falling out of the WTA top 100, but has re-captured some of her best form at the start of this year and has a big opportunity ahead of her.
The British star, now ranked 69th on the WTA Tour, is looking to continue her good form when she plays at the Mexico Open this week.
However, she has been handed a rather tough draw in the wake of her title win and will face Beatriz Haddad Maia in the first round.
Katie Boulter’s difficult Mexico Open draw
Beatriz Haddad Maia, the former world number 10, has struggled for consistency over the past year and has fallen to world number 66.
However, despite the Brazilian’s mixed results, she remains one of the more talented players on the WTA Tour and an individual capable of damaging Katie Boulter’s Mexico Open title hopes.
However, history is on Boulter’s side.
The British star, a wildcard entry at the Mexico Open, has a 3-1 record against Haddad Maia, last beating the 29-year-old Brazilian 6-2, 6-3 at the 2024 Miami Open.
What is stopping Katie Boulter from staying in the WTA top 20?
Unfortunately for Boulter fans, Haddad Maia won her last match against the British player, defeating Boulter 7-6, 7-5 at the 2024 Ningbo Open.
If Boulter is able to navigate her way past Haddad Maia, she will likely face talented Indonesian star Janice Tjen in the second round.
Tjen has been in good form at the start of 2026, beating the likes of Leylah Fernandez and Haddad Maia.
If Boulter advances further, she will likely play top seed Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals.
Paolini, the world number eight, has struggled at the start of this year, as illustrated by her recent loss to Alexandra Eala at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
- Katie Boulter’s Mexico Open path – Round One: Beatriz Haddad Maia
- Round Two: Janice Tjen / Camila Osorio
- Quarter-finals: Jasmine Paolini / Sloane Stephens
- Semi-finals: Ann Li / Dayana Yastremska
- Final: Emma Navarro / Marie Bouzkova
Who won the 2025 Mexico Open?
In 2025, Emma Navarro produced a scintillating display of tennis to beat Emiliana Arango 6-0, 6-0 in the Merida Open final.
Arango won just 21 points in the final, with Navarro winning her biggest title to date in only 55 minutes.
Navarro became only the fifth woman since 2000 to have double-bagelled her opponent in a WTA Final.
Do you think women should play best-of-five set matches?
After the final, Navarro said: “I think I’ve never been that good at looking ahead, so I never imagined myself playing in a WTA 500 final at the beginning.
“I don’t think I ever imagined myself winning in the 500 category.”
