Roland Garros 2026: Katie Boulter edges past wild card to reach second round
• 2 minute read
British No.3 Katie Boulter overcame a stern test from wild card Akasha Urhobo to reach the second round at Roland Garros.
Boulter battled past a spirited Urhobo - winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes to set up a second round meeting against 28th seed Anastasia Potapova.
Potapova breezed past reigning Lexus Eastbourne Open champion Maya Joint in her first match of her campaign in Paris. It will mark a career-first meeting between the Brit and the Austria.
It will mark a career-first meeting between the Brit and the Austrian.
By progressing, Boulter matches her best result in Paris, having also reached the second round last year. She joins Francesca Jones as the second British woman into round two.
Boulter has grown in confidence on clay in recent seasons and arrived in Paris in encouraging form, reaching the quarter-finals in Rouen and securing wins in Madrid and at the Trophée Clarins.
She made a fast start against Urhobo, racing into a 3–0 lead to take early control. However, the American responded well, raising her level to pull the set back on serve.
The pair traded breaks late in the opener before Boulter edged ahead, capitalising on Urhobo's 25 unforced errors to close out the set at the third attempt as the American sent a forehand long.
While Boulter would’ve hoped to keep the momentum going in the second, it was Urhobo who got herself on the front foot early on, sealing the decisive break in the seventh game to level up the scoreboard to a set apiece.
Earlier today, qualifier Toby Samuel lost out to Boulter’s fiancé and eighth seed Alex de Minaur. The Briton put up an admirable fight against the Australian but eventually fell short in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 defeat.
Tuesday's action at Roland Garros will see Britain's Cam Norrie and Jacob Fearnley contest begin their bid for Grand Slam glory as they take on Adolfo Daniel Vallejo and Juan Manuel Cerundolo respectively.
