Katie Boulter narrowly misses out on Wimbledon upset in heroic defeat to Aryna Sabalenka
Katie Boulter was a set up against Wimbledon No 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Katie Boulter gave No 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka a scare before going down in three thrilling sets on Centre Court.
The brave British No 5 broke the Belarussian in her opening service game and took the set on her first appearance in the most famous court in world tennis.
The big-hitting world No 4 found her range in the second set to draw the match level. Sabalenka then broke to lead 2-1 in the final set before Boulter called a medical timeout for a right elbow injury.
The Leicester City fan suffered the injury during the clay-court season and came into the match wearing a strapping on her arm.
Boulter then came out and broke the Belarussian to love to draw the scores level at 2-2.
Sabalenka, who has a tiger tattoo on her forearm, immediately broke back and fought off six break points in a epic 11-minute game at 4-3 before holding on to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 .
Boulter was playing her first Wimbledon since 2018 after missing 2019 with a back injury.
Sabalenka won her only previous match at the All England Club before this year after qualifying in 2017.
The Belarussian, now a leading contender for the title, beat world No 1 Ash Barty to win the title in Madrid but she is the only top 20 seed to never reach a Grand Slam quarter-final.