Katie Boulter Reflects on ‘Weird’ Role Reversal with Alex de Minaur at Queen’s Club
Katie Boulter, Britain’s No. 1 women’s tennis player, described a surreal moment at the Queen’s Club Championships on June 10, 2025, when she found herself competing on the iconic grass courts while her fiancé, Alex de Minaur, watched from the stands—a reversal of their usual dynamic. In an interview with Express.co.uk, Boulter called it “weird” yet “really nice,” saying, “I have such fond memories of watching him at Queen’s… It was great to have him there, especially as it wasn’t planned.” Typically a spectator cheering for De Minaur at the ATP 500 event, Boulter relished her starring role at the WTA 500 HSBC Championships, the first women’s tournament at Queen’s in 52 years, per www.express.co.uk. [](https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/2066979/Katie-Boulter-Alex-de-Minaur-Queens)
Boulter’s 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic, a compatriot of De Minaur, marked a “special” milestone on the Andy Murray Arena. She admitted to battling self-doubt, stating, “This surface can let doubt creep in… I didn’t serve great, but I’m happy to be through,” per www.dailymail.co.uk. The match, a two-hour tussle, saw Boulter overcome a second-set rout and windy conditions, with De Minaur’s unplanned presence offering emotional support, per www.motorcyclesports.net. Her excitement surpassed expectations: “The emotions when I walked out were more than I imagined,” she told Tennis365.com. [](https://motorcyclesports.net/katie-boulter-queens-club-role-reversal/)[](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/katie-boulter-makes-telling-alex-de-minaur-confession-as-she-sets-a-huge-target)[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-14798127/Katie-Boulter-survives-round-battle-Queens-encouraged-fiance-Alex-Minaur-second-set-scare-against-qualifier-Ajla-Tomljanovic.html)
The event fulfilled Boulter’s long-held wish for women to compete at Queen’s, a venue she associates with “quintessential British life,” per tennisuptodate.com. She also teamed up with Emma Raducanu in doubles, advancing before falling to top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe, per www.theguardian.com. Posts on X, like @DExpress_Sport, highlighted the “weird” role swap, amplifying fan buzz, per @DExpress_Sport. Boulter’s performance, bolstered by De Minaur’s encouragement, sets her up for a strong Wimbledon (June 30-July 13), where she aims for a seeding, per www.tennis365.com. []
