Boulter Through Despite Lapse In Concentration

Britain’s Katie Boulter forgot the rules but still beat Ekaterina Makarova in round one of the Australian Open.

Boulter, 22, advanced with a 6-0 4-6 7-6 (10-6) triumph on Monday but only after an embarrassing moment when she forgot that third-set tie-breaks are now played to 10 points.

The Leicester-born ace celebrated as though she had won the match when taking her seventh point of the third-set breaker, but had to get back to work after realising that the final-set tie-breaks have been extended.

“I ended up getting the win, I probably would have been devastated had I not,” she said. “But I’ve got to take it light-heartedly now. At least I know the rule now.

“It’s very tough to turn around because you’ve released and think you’ve won the match. Then you have to get back to work and dig deep. I’m pretty proud of myself.”

Next up for Boulter is a clash with 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka but compatriots Harriet Dart and Heather Watson are out.

Dart, 22, failed to win a game against five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova while 26-year-old Watson lost 6-1 6-2 to Croatian 32nd seed Petra Martic.