Breaking News: Boulter Advances in Paris Despite Challenges
Coco Boulter, a 29-year-old British tennis player, has won her first-round match at the Paris major. This follows a tough year in 2025, where she fell from 24th to outside the top 100 due to injuries and lost her British number one ranking.
In early 2026, Boulter changed her coach, hiring Michael Joyce, previously associated with Maria Sharapova. After a first-round exit at the Australian Open, she rebounded by winning a WTA 250 title in Ostrava and reaching the third round in Miami. However, her performance leading up to Paris was inconsistent.
In her match, both players struggled with unforced errors. Boulter managed to take the first set after trading breaks with her opponent, Urhobo. The second set saw Boulter facing difficulties but she fought back to force a deciding set.
The third set showcased improved quality, with Boulter breaking Urhobo’s serve. After two hours and ten minutes, Boulter secured her victory, breaking Urhobo for the sixth time. Urhobo, who recently entered the top 200, struggled with 58 unforced errors.
Boulter noted she was not at full physical strength, citing fatigue and illness as factors.
