🔗 Share this article

Britain's Katie Boulter admits she feels she has to "pick between my physical condition and my ranking" as the scramble continues for a spot in January's Australian Open primary competition.

While the standard WTA Tour tournament schedule is over, there are still position points to be gained in Latin American countries, regional locations, Ecuador and international tournaments.

The female competitor lineup for the first Grand Slam of the 2026 season will be calculated from the international positions of 8 December, which could create a difficult choice for players near the selection threshold.

Physical Setbacks

Former British leading competitor Boulter experienced an abductor in her concluding competition of the year in Asian venues last month, and is now considering whether to participate in the WTA 125 development competition in Angers, France, in the initial week of December.

Boulter's recent injury, and the reality she would need to win at least multiple victories in the European event to improve her position, means she may well ultimately not competing.

Varying Approaches

In opposition, men's competitors are not confronting the equivalent predicament, as for the initial instance the male Australian Open competitor lineup will be drawn up from present week's standings, which is the ATP's formal season-concluding standing calculation.

The change is aimed at deterring players from chasing standing points during what is essentially the break period.

Professional Adjustments

This season has been a demanding one for Boulter.

She achieved merely fourteen Tour-level major tournament contests and currently separated with instructor Biljana Veselinovic after a extended partnership in which she won multiple WTA titles.

"Biljana is an exceptional instructor, and an extremely excellent individual as well, which creates situations particularly challenging," Boulter stated.

The pursuit for a replacement instructor is currently ongoing, seeking an individual who has top-tier background as Boulter continues to think she can be a elite-level athlete.

Future Goals

"Progressing with a different trainer, one thing I'm absolutely certain on is that they are going to be someone who has considerable expertise in how to make it to the very top level of this sport," she said.

"I've been placed as high as 23 and I know I can get back to that level. I don't believe my level has diminished, I think the reliability must enhance.

"My objective is not merely to be positioned 50, 40, 30, twenty - we've achieved that. The aim is to be inside the elite group."