Katie Boulter has never found her best form on clay, but she’s been handed a great chance to change that at the Open de Rouen.
She started her 2026 clay court campaign with a first-round exit at the Linz Open, so she’ll be looking to bounce back quickly.
After a strong start to the year that included a title win at the Ostrava Open, Boulter is closing in on a return to the top 50 of the WTA Tour rankings.
The next stop for her is Rouen, where another good run could help her climb even further up the rankings.
The Open de Rouen is scheduled alongside the Women’s Stuttgart Open, resulting in a notably weaker field.
Marta Kostyuk, currently ranked 27th in the world, will enter as the top seed at the French event.
With Sorana Cirstea, Hailey Baptiste and Janice Tjen also in the draw, Boulter should still feel optimistic about her chances of making a deep run.
Boulter’s opening match will be against either a qualifier or a lucky loser. The main threats within her section of the draw are Cirstea and Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
With no points to defend from last year, Boulter has an excellent chance to make some gains at this WTA 250 event in France.
Even with a less competitive field, Boulter might find herself up against a familiar name in the early stages of the tournament.
Sloane Stephens, who claimed the US Open title in 2017, has received a wild card entry and could potentially meet Boulter in the third round.
Stephens opens her tournament against a qualifier or lucky loser, with Cocciaretto likely waiting in the next round for whoever comes through.
Although both players have been regulars on tour for over ten years, they’ve never faced each other in an official match.
Stephens is also competing in doubles alongside Katie Volynets. They’re set to take on Iryna Shymanovich and Maria Kozyreva in their opening match.
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