Katie Boulter has shared that she’s ready for her second clay court season after recovering from a challenging injury setback, while Alex de Minaur is poised for a big opportunity in Monte Carlo following Novak Djokovic’s shocking loss.
Boulter has only played two tournaments since her Australian Open exit—at Indian Wells and the Miami Open—but didn’t perform well at either. She confirmed that an injury had affected her form since Australia, with only two singles wins in 2025. Despite this, Boulter chose not to sit out the U.S. events last month, aiming to maintain match fitness.
“Coming back from injury is always tough,” Boulter told the LTA. “I could’ve taken more time off, but I wanted to play and keep the momentum from Australia, where I felt like I was playing some of my best tennis.”
The 28-year-old British player is confident heading into the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup tie against the Netherlands. She draws inspiration from last year’s victory over France on clay, where she had never played a WTA clay match before. Despite the lack of preparation, the win gave her newfound belief in her clay-court abilities.
“It was a big moment for me. Beating France on clay showed me what I could do, and it gave me confidence for the clay season ahead,” she said.
Meanwhile, her partner Alex de Minaur is preparing for a major challenge in Monte Carlo. His path has been made easier after Djokovic’s unexpected exit, providing de Minaur with a golden chance to make a deep run.
De Minaur now has the opportunity to narrow the gap on Djokovic in the ATP rankings. Djokovic, the third seed, was eliminated by Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets in the second round, leaving him disappointed with his performance.
“I expected a tough match, but not this bad. It was horrible,” Djokovic admitted, while maintaining his focus on getting ready for the French Open.
For de Minaur, Djokovic’s loss is a significant boost. The Aussie now faces Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16. Medvedev has expressed frustration with playing on clay, while de Minaur has been improving steadily on the surface. The two have not met since the ATP Finals last year, but de Minaur did beat Medvedev at Roland Garros last year, making this a crucial opportunity to repeat that result.
“The draw is a bit easier for me now with Djokovic out,” de Minaur said, as he looks to climb back up the rankings. He recently dropped to World No. 10 after tough results in Indian Wells and Miami.
With his eyes set on a strong finish in Monte Carlo, de Minaur’s clay season is looking promising.
