Katie Boulter says her elevation to British No 1 will not bring extra pressure when her Wimbledon campaign gets under way.
The 26-year-old rose to the top of the British standings by winning her first WTA Tour event in Nottingham last month and, in the absence of the injured Emma Raducanu, finds herself as the highest-profile home woman.
Asked if she felt additional weight on her shoulders, Boulter – who is ranked 88 – said: “I don’t think I do. I feel very comfortable in my own skin when it comes to that kind of stuff.
“I can do my best and at the end of the day, that’s all I can do. I know I’ve put the work in and, if it happens to come out this week, then great, it’s a dream come true.
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British No 1 Katie Boulter, who won her first WTA title at Nottingham and reached the semi-finals at Surbiton, wants to continue her good form at Wimbledon
“But I’ve sat here and watched Wimbledon – there’s been many times that I haven’t played Wimbledon, and I really don’t take anything for granted just being here and playing and being a part of this tournament.
“Of course it’s nice to feel like people appreciate you, but at the same time it’s about the tennis and I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ve got to get my job done and keep myself very grounded.”
Along with her Nottingham run, Boulter will take confidence from last year’s Wimbledon, when she defeated former finalist Karolina Pliskova in the second round on Centre Court.
Boulter won her first WTA Tour title at Nottingham last month
“The biggest thing for me was getting over the line against Pliskova,” she said. “That was one of the hardest things I think I ever had to do and I’ve taken a lot of confidence from serving out that match especially.
“It’s something I will be using on the court out there. Whatever happens, I’ll be fighting and I’m always going to put my heart on the line.”
Boulter, who begins her campaign on Tuesday against Australia’s Daria Saville, is sharing a large house nearby with her team, long-term boyfriend Alex de Minaur and his team.
Boulter says her boyfriend, Australian player Alex de Minaur, is an inspiration
It has been a successful month for the tennis-playing couple, with 16th-ranked De Minaur reaching the final at Queen’s Club.
“I feel like we continually both push each other,” added Boulter. “There’s a lot I’ve learned from him as a person and as a player. I’m very lucky to have an insider who knows the emotions that I go through on and off the court.
“He’s an incredible player and, as you can see from his ranking, he does it week in, week out. I do my best to watch what he does and emulate it.”