🔗 Share this article

Britain's Katie Boulter states she believes she has to "choose between my body and my ranking" as the scramble carries on for a position in January's Australian Open main draw.

While the standard WTA Tour tournament schedule is completed, there are still standing points to be earned in South American nations, neighboring countries, multiple sites and international tournaments.

The female competitor lineup for the first Grand Slam of the upcoming season will be calculated from the international positions of the December cutoff, which could cause a challenging situation for players close to the qualification line.

Physical Setbacks

Ex- British top-ranked player Boulter tore an groin injury in her final event of the year in Hong Kong last month, and is now considering whether to compete in the WTA 125 secondary tournament in French locations, the European nation, in the opening days of December.

Boulter's current physical issue, and the reality she would need to achieve at least three matches in Angers to improve her standing, means she may likely end up not participating.

Different Systems

In contrast, male players are not facing the identical situation, as for the initial instance the men's Australian Open participant roster will be drawn up from this week's positions, which is the ATP's standard annual-final standing calculation.

The change is aimed at discouraging competitors from pursuing ranking points during what is basically the rest interval.

Training Transitions

This year has been a demanding one for Boulter.

She achieved merely 14 Tour-level primary competition matches and currently parted ways with coach Biljana Veselinovic after a three-year collaboration in which she won several WTA victories.

"Biljana is an incredible trainer, and an remarkably quality person as well, which creates situations particularly challenging," Boulter said.

The pursuit for a new instructor is actively progressing, searching for an individual who has elite expertise as Boulter continues to think she can be a top-20 athlete.

Future Goals

"Going forward with a different trainer, a key aspect I'm absolutely certain on is that they are going to be a professional who has a lot of experience in how to succeed to the very top level of this sport," she explained.

"I've been positioned as advanced as 23 and I am confident I can get back to that position. I don't think my standard has gone anywhere, I feel the steadiness should improve.

"My goal is not to be positioned 50, forty, thirty, 20 - we've been there. The aim is to be within the elite group."