Overview
- Katie Boulter learned around 5pm on Sunday that late withdrawals had moved her from qualifying into the Australian Open main draw.
- She called on the WTA to adopt a fixed end‑of‑season ranking cut-off, mirroring the ATP, to reduce pre-season uncertainty for players.
- Boulter opens her Melbourne campaign against Belinda Bencic in the first round.
- After splitting with longtime coach Biljana Veselinovic late last year, Boulter has started work with Michael Joyce and reports a calmer setup.
- Early signs under Joyce include a straight‑sets win over Yuliia Starodubtseva and a subsequent loss to Elina Svitolina, as she targets a steady reset in 2026 buoyed by her planned wedding to Alex de Minaur.