British tennis star Katie Boulter has called on the WTA to follow the lead of the ATP and implement an earlier cut-off for the rankings that decide who automatically qualifies for the Australian Open. Boulter is facing a major dilemma as she strives to play the Australian Open alongside fiancee Alex de Minaur.
She’s currently ranked No.100 in the world, and would love to get her body some much-needed rest to be right for the Australian summer. But only the top 104 players in the rankings get automatic qualification into the Australian Open, meaning Boulter needs to keep playing so she doesn’t fall into the drop-off zone.
Katie Boulter was reduced to tears at the Hong Kong Open, and faces not playing the Australian Open with fiance Alex de Minaur. Image: WTA/Getty
A number of players will get their protected rankings as well, meaning it’ll be less than the top 104 players in the rankings who get automatic entry. Boulter suffered a torn abductor in her hip and had to retire hurt in tears during the Hong Kong Open last month.
In an ideal world, she’d rest until the Australian Open and get her body completely right. But because the automatic qualification spots aren’t determined until December 8 – after events in Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and France – she has to keep playing so she isn’t overtaken in the rankings.
“If there are tournaments there, it gives you an opportunity because you want to make the main draw of Australia,” Boulter told the BBC on Thursday. “I’m in this predicament myself right now, and it’s almost like I have to choose between my body or my ranking. I think I know my own right choice, but it’s difficult because it means that everyone else is going to be playing and passing me.”
Katie Boulter has endured an injury-ravaged year. (Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Should the WTA make same rankings change as ATP?
It’s a completely different scenario for the men, with the ATP changing the system this year and moving the Australian Open cut-off to this week. It means the rankings as of this week will determine which male players get automatic entry into the grand slam in Melbourne.
Boulter believes the WTA should make a similar move for players don’t get burnt out trying to play as many tournaments as possible so late in the year. “I do think that would probably be the smart thing to do,” she said.
“There has to be somewhere where you draw the line and you give people an opportunity to recuperate and also get a good pre-season in. I feel like this year we’ve seen so many burnouts, and so many people not playing the end of year because of mental health issues as well as body issues, and I do think it contributes to it.”
Katie Boulter watches fiance Alex de Minaur during the semis at the ATP Finals. (Photo by Li Jing/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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Katie Boulter in danger of missing Australian Open
If Boulter doesn’t get automatic entry, she’d have to go through qualifying to try and play the Australian Open. If she doesn’t make the main draw at Melbourne Park it would be the first grand slam in a numbers of years not to feature both Boulter and de Minaur.
Boulter flagged that she might wait and see what transpires and then make a decision on whether she plays the WTA 125 Challenger event in Angers, France – set to take place in the first week of December. She’d need to win at least three matches to improve her ranking, so it might make sense to rest and try and win those three matches in Australian Open qualifying instead.
Boulter reached a career high of World No.23 at the end of 2024, but has endured an injury-plagued year in 2025. She’s won just eight of her last 21 main-draw matches, and hasn’t made it past the second round of a tournament since the Nottingham Open in June. Since Wimbledon she’s only won three matches at WTA level.