Birmingham Classic: Katie Boulter retires after one set as Harriet Dart picks up victory

Katie Boulter had to retire from the Birmingham Classic, after Anhelina Kalinina took their first set 6-3.

The match was taking place just two days after No 4 seed Boulter had clinched back-to-back titles in Nottingham with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory over Karolina Pliskova.

Boulter had won an all-British contest against Emma Raducanu in the semi-finals in three sets, 6-7 6-3 6-4. She had been a set down when play was suspended on Saturday evening before continuing on Sunday.

“I’m fine,” said a hoarse Boulter, who has been battling a cold for the last week.

“Obviously a long 10 days. I wanted to come up here anyway, I wanted to try, but I’m just not quite ready yet. I was quite sick during Nottingham but I just tried to stay in the tournament as long as I possibly could, as bad as I was feeling.

“From my third match I was really struggling. But I just tried to get through it and finish the week. It’s probably a little bit of a combination of everything.”

Harriet Dart is through to the second round after a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over qualifier Moyuka Uchijima but wildcard Heather Watson suffered a 3-6 6-4 7-5 loss to Marie Bouzkova in Birmingham.

In a match which lasted just under three hours, Bouzkova battled back from 5-2 down in the deciding set to clinch victory.

Elsewhere, World No 8 Zheng Qinwen secured a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Naomi Osaka in the first round of the Berlin Open.

Zheng hit 23 aces during the encounter which is the most hit so far in a WTA Tour match this season.

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