Katie Boulter secured the fourth WTA title of her career by defeating Tamara Korpatsch to win the Ostrava Open.
The Brit suffered from a huge dip in form in 2025, but she looks to have bounced back under new coach Michael Joyce.
Boulter’s impressive run in Ostrava saw her pick up victories against Katie Volynets, Viktorija Golubic, and Linda Fruhvirtova.
Despite her first WTA title for 20 months, Boulter has been told she must now make another step up in her career.
Katie Boulter told she now needs to perform at bigger events
Speaking on Inside-In, tennis commentator Abigail Johnson suggested Boulter’s next mission should be to perform well at the bigger tournaments.
“She’s proven that she can beat a range of players and what she proved in Ostrava is that she can handle the players that on paper she should be handling,” Johnson said.
“I think it’s now about starting to get some of those wins in the tournaments that are going to give more reward for that.
What is stopping Katie Boulter from staying in the WTA top 20?
“The 500 events, the 1000 events and the Grand Slams across the course of 24 and 25. So, 2024 when she was on an upwards trajectory and then 2025 when she got herself exceeding at the Grand Slams, she didn’t get beyond the second round of a major and those are the tournaments that are going to give you the most for your efforts.
“So that’s why it’s really cool to see someone like Michael Joyce in her corner, someone who’s worked with a lot of top players because he’s had the experience of the scheduling, the preparation, how do we optimise what you’re capable of so that we are coming through on those bigger stages and uh that’s what’s really going to keep the ranking moving upwards if she can crack that.”
Boulter returned to the top 100 with her victory in Ostrava and currently sits at world number 83 in the rankings.
Katie Boulter’s best performances at Grand Slams
Johnson might have a point about Boulter’s performances in the larger tournaments, as the Brit has failed to play at her best at Grand Slams and Masters events.
Even at Boulter’s biggest ranking peak, when she hit a career high of World No. 23, the British star never really shone on the biggest stages.
Boulter has never got past the third round of a Grand Slam, achieving that stage at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2023.
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The star has only ever won one match at Roland Garros, which came against Carole Monnet at the 2025 event.
The British number four has fallen at the second round stage of the Australian Open on three occasions, in 2019, 2024, and 2025.
Three out of four of Boulter’s WTA titles have been 250 events, with her sole win at a 500 event coming at the San Diego Open in 2024.
Her best performance at a Masters event came at the Miami Open in 2024, when Boulter reached the fourth round stage.
The Brit defeated Brenda Fruhvirtová and Beatriz Haddad Maia, before losing to Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
