Katie Boulter suffers fresh setback as heavy rain halts Japan Women’s Open match against Himeno Sakatsume in Osaka

Katie Boulter’s Japan Women’s Open match was halted by heavy rain in Osaka, while Sonay Kartal became Britain’s new No. 1 after reaching the Wuhan Open final.

Katie Boulter’s first-round match at the Japan Women’s Open was stopped because of heavy rain in Osaka on Monday. The British tennis player was playing against Japanese wildcard entrant Himeno Sakatsume when the weather forced both players off the court.

Katie Boulter’s Japan Women’s Open match was halted by heavy rain in Osaka. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

The rain caused problems on the third day of the tournament. The WTA 250 event began over the weekend, but Boulter had to wait until Monday to begin her campaign. The match was interrupted shortly after it started because the venue did not have a roof to protect the court from the rain, according to the Daily Express.

Japan Women’s Open match halted by rain

Officials announced that play would be suspended for at least an hour. Spectators were also asked to leave the stands as heavy rain disrupted the match. The delay added to Boulter’s frustration as she was looking to get more playing time after a difficult few weeks.

Katie Boulter's recent tennis results

Boulter has played only three matches since September 30. She lost in the second round of the China Open before suffering a first-round exit at the Wuhan Open. Her limited match time in recent weeks makes a strong run at the Japan Women’s Open important as she looks to regain momentum.

Boulter entered the Japan Women’s Open as the eighth seed. However, she could not make the start she wanted in Osaka as the rain stopped her first-round match. Only three games had been completed when play was suspended.

Himeno Sakatsume leads Katie Boulter

Sakatsume was leading 2-1 in the first set when the match was halted. The Japanese wildcard had taken the early lead, leaving Boulter with work to do when play resumes. However, with only three games completed, the match remained at an early stage, according to the Daily Express.

Boulter could face Viktorija Golubic in the second round if she wins her opening match. The Swiss player has already secured her place in the next round after beating Japan’s Mai Hontama in straight sets. Boulter must first overcome Sakatsume to set up a meeting with Golubic.

Sonay Kartal becomes British No. 1

Meanwhile, fellow British player Sonay Kartal enjoyed an impressive week at the Wuhan Open after returning from injury. The 24-year-old Londoner reached the final despite going six months without playing a match because of injury, according to the Daily Express.

Kartal won the opening set of the Wuhan Open final but eventually lost to Maja Chwalinska. The defeat denied Kartal her first WTA 1000 title. However, her run to the final marked a major achievement following her long absence from the sport.

Kartal became Britain’s new No. 1 women’s tennis player after her run in Wuhan. Her performance was a significant boost after months away from competition because of injury.

Sonay Kartal thanks team after Wuhan Open final

Speaking after the final, Kartal praised Chwalinska for the match. She said: “That was one heck of a battle, Maja.” Kartal also expressed hope that she would reach more finals in the future, according to her post-match comments quoted by the Daily Express.

Kartal said her support team played a major role in helping her return to fitness. Although she was disappointed with the result, she thanked the people in her player box for helping her recover and return to the court. She said: “It was not the result I wanted today but those people in my box are the reason I am healthy, I am here and why I am back to fitness”.

Kartal also thanked her team for helping her achieve more than many people expected. She said the group had enjoyed an “unbelievable week” and noted that few people had expected her to reach the final and perform at such a high level after her injury layoff.