A Promising Run Cut Short in Japan
Katie Boulter's campaign at the Japan Open in Osaka came to an end in the semi-finals on Saturday, as she fell 6-1, 6-4 to Katerina Siniakova in just 85 minutes. The defeat was a frustrating one for the 30-year-old Briton, who had shown genuine form throughout the week, including a solid quarter-final win over Antonia Ruzic. Boulter, seeded eighth in the draw, showed real fight in the second set, breaking first and threatening to make a match of it, but Siniakova, the doubles world number one, responded with two breaks of her own to close things out comfortably.
Siniakova moves into Sunday's final where she will face 22-year-old American Ashlyn Krueger, the 2023 champion in Osaka. Krueger earned her spot with a hard-fought three-set victory over top seed Ann Li, winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 in what was a sharp contest between two compatriots.
Rankings Boost Softens the Blow
Despite the loss, Boulter leaves Japan with something meaningful to celebrate. Sonay Kartal had briefly climbed above her in the British rankings after reaching last week's Wuhan Open final, but Boulter's Osaka run is sufficient to push her back to the top spot once the rankings update. A place in a WTA final would have given her a shot at a fifth singles title on tour, her last coming at the Ostrava Open earlier in 2026, but the rankings position is still a significant consolation.
Elsewhere this weekend, world number one Elena Rybakina reached the final at the Ningbo Open in China, where she faces Leylah Fernandez. TennisDraw users had Rybakina as a strong favorite across multiple bracket predictions heading into this busy late-season stretch.
