British tennis star Katie Boulter was spotted in Alex de Minaur’s box as he booked his place in the second week of the Australian Open.
De Minaur continued his strong run at his home Grand Slam by reaching the last 16 for a fifth straight year, overcoming Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-4 7-5 in a packed Rod Laver Arena on Friday night. While the crowd roared him on, much of the attention turned to a familiar face in the stands — his fiancée, British No.4 Katie Boulter.
Boulter, currently ranked world No.113, exited the tournament in the first round but remained in Melbourne to watch several of De Minaur’s matches before returning to the UK. She was seated in his box for Friday’s win, and the Australian marked the moment by writing “Katie” with a heart on the camera lens after sealing victory.
The 26-year-old later spoke warmly about their relationship during a light-hearted on-court interview with Jim Courier, also touching on their wedding plans.
“Honestly, because we’re both tennis players and we both have busy schedules, we try to do as much as we can together,” De Minaur told the crowd.
“I’ve been involved in some of the decisions so far — but when it comes to napkins, flowers and decorations, that’s not my forte. I’ll leave that to Katie.”
Despite her visible support, De Minaur admitted he knows watching from the sidelines isn’t easy for his partner — especially given the tense nature of his matches.
“I’m probably thinking more than anything how much she must be hating me watching all that,” he joked.
“Most of my matches aren’t straightforward. There are always twists, turns and nervy moments, so I’m sure she’s pretty stressed. But having her there supporting me means a lot and really helps.”
De Minaur now faces a tough test against 10th seed Alexander Bublik as he looks to reach back-to-back quarter-finals in Melbourne. However, Boulter may not be in attendance for his next outing.
Following her defeat to Belinda Bencic earlier in the week, the Brit explained she would soon be heading home to focus on her own season.
“I’ve already got my schedule in place,” Boulter said. “As much as I’d love to stay and support him, I have to prioritise myself and my tennis. If I can be there, I will — but my career has to come first.”
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