The regular WTA season is now over, and the name that stood out at the end of the year was Kazakh ace Elena Rybakina, who lifted the WTA Finals trophy. Players are now waiting to compete at next year’s first Slam, the Australian Open, and the women’s entry list will be based on the world rankings as of 8 December. However, before that, British star Katie Boulter had already called for a rule change on the WTA side, as she now faces a dilemma between protecting her body and maintaining her ranking before the new season arrives.

In a recent chat with BBC Sport, Katie Boulter opened up about the difficult situation she is facing as the season comes to a close. The British ace tore her abductor last month during her match against Alexandra Eala at the Hong Kong Open. Reflecting on the pressure players face late in the year, the 29-year-old explained her current dilemma and the growing tension between protecting her health and maintaining her ranking.

Boulter explained, “If there are tournaments there, it gives you an opportunity because you want to make the main draw of Australia.” She later went on to admit how difficult the decision has become, adding, “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.”

Her comments come at a time when the Brit is in a race against the clock to secure a place in the main draw of the 2026 AO. Boulter is currently ranked 100th in the world, and the top 104 players receive direct entry into the women’s singles draw. However, because protected rankings are also included in this number, she is at serious risk of missing the cut in direct entry.

With the official entry list being set in December, Boulter now faces a major decision. She could choose to enter a smaller tournament to boost her ranking and strengthen her chances of direct entry into the GS. One option she is considering is traveling to France to compete in the WTA 125 event in Angers during the 1st week of December.

If Boulter misses direct entry, she would be forced to go through qualifying at a GS for the 1st time since 2023. This concern has brought renewed focus to the scheduling policies between the ATP and WTA tours. 

However, the men’s tour introduced a new rule this year, confirming that the entry list for the AO would be based on rankings from November 18. The goal is to discourage players from competing late in the year and allow space for recovery and pre-season preparation.

Boulter believes a similar approach would benefit the WTA stars. She quoted, “I do think that would probably be the smart thing to do. 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.”

And despite her current challenges and the uncertainty surrounding her entry into the AO, Boulter remains determined. She has made it clear that her goal is not only to return but to climb higher in the WTA rankings once she is fully healthy again.

Katie Boulter opens up about her ambitions to reach the WTA’s top ranks

The 2025 season has been a challenging one for the British ace. She won only 14 Tour-level main-draw matches and recently split with her coach, Biljana Veselinovic, after three years together. During their partnership, Boulter captured 3 WTA titles and reached new career milestones.

Yet, despite the separation, Boulter spoke highly of Veselinovic. “Biljana is an incredible coach, and an extremely good human as well, which makes things very difficult,” she added. “I think it was just time. I think we both felt that it was the right thing to do. We’ve accomplished so much together. I’m still going to be spending a lot of time talking to her, I think she’s a huge part of my team regardless.”

However, Boulter is determined to find someone with high-level experience who can guide her to the next stage of her career.

“Going forward with a new coach, one thing I’m very clear on is that they are going to be someone who has a lot of experience in how to make it to the very top level of this game,” she said.

She remains confident in her abilities and her potential to return to the top of the rankings of WTA. “I’ve been ranked as high as 23 and I know I can get back there. I don’t think my level has gone anywhere, I think the consistency needs to improve.”

She made her ambitions very clear: “My goal is not to be ranked 50, 40, 30, 20 – we’ve been there. The goal is to be inside 20.”

As she now decides whether to compete in France or wait for the AO draw, Boulter faces an important and strategic choice for her future.