Katie Boulter looks set to swerve a meeting with fiancé Alex de Minaur on New Year’s Day as she and Charles Broom team up again in the mixed doubles at the United Cup in Australia.
The British No 1 and Broom were victorious on Monday as they beat Argentinian duo Maria Lourdes Carle and Tomas Etcheverry 7-6 7-5, with Boulter having won her opening singles clash against Nadia Podoroska a day earlier.
The draw had presented the prospect of Boulter facing off against newly-engaged fiancé De Minaur given Great Britain and Australia are both in Group F, something she had admittedly been keen to avoid.
“I don’t know about having a match against him, I think that’s going to be terrible, and a bit of a popcorn match,” Boulter said earlier this week. “But yeah, let’s hope we don’t reach there and we win before.
“It’s a tough situation. He was smiling when I came off the court because we kept them in it, so he’s happy. I’m just looking forward to a battle. I don’t know what’s going to happen on the day. I just have to keep my head down and try not to think too much about it, but we’re both going to be fighting for it. We both want it. We both are competitive.”
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Katie Boulter and fiancé Alex de Minaur admitted it’s going to be ‘difficult’ when her Great Britain side faces his Australia in the United Cup, live on Sky Sports
That now seems unlikely to happen, with Ellen Perez and Matthew Ebden listed as Boulter and Broom’s opponents. Nonetheless, it beckons as another shot at Great Britain vs Australia bragging rights, regardless of De Minaur’s involvement.
It also continues a special week for world No 276-ranked Broom, who previously attended Ivy League Dartmouth and only made his Wimbledon debut this summer when he was beaten by Stan Wawrinka as a wild card.
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Highlights of Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic’s win in their Brisbane International match
“[I like] the atmosphere (at the United Cup),” he told the ATP Tour website. “I love having the team benches as well. When you’re going there, in the change of ends or end of set, you’ve got the coaching there, all the guys supporting, all the team supporting. It’s great. It’s unique, that’s for sure,” Broom said of the United Cup, where he is debuting. “There’s nothing else that compares to it even when I played mixed doubles at Wimbledon.
“I love that, but it was still very much that you’re on your own, can’t have coaching, That is just a bit differently, I feel the United Cup has been eye opening, for sure. And I’ve loved it.”
Boulter is also due to take on Olivia Gadecki in the singles draw, while De Minaur is listed to face Great Britain’s Billy Harris.
Elsewhere at the Brisbane International the pairing of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are due to return to action against Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus in the round of 16.
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Katie Boulter, the British tennis player, is set to face off against her fiancé Alex de Minaur in the upcoming Davis Cup tie between Great Britain and Australia. Boulter will be teaming up with her mixed doubles partner Charles Broom to take on the Australian duo, which includes de Minaur.
The couple, who got engaged earlier this year, have been dating since 2018 and have often been seen supporting each other at their respective matches. However, this time, they will be on opposite sides of the net, with Boulter looking to help her team secure a victory against her fiancé’s team.
Despite their personal relationship, Boulter and de Minaur are both professionals and will no doubt give their all on the court. Boulter will be hoping to avoid any potential awkwardness by focusing on her partnership with Broom, who she has had success with in mixed doubles in the past.
The upcoming tie promises to be an exciting and closely contested match, with both teams boasting strong line-ups. Tennis fans will be eagerly watching to see how Boulter and de Minaur handle the unique situation of facing off against each other on the court.
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Katie Boulter, Alex de Minaur, Charles Broom, Tennis News, Australia, Mixed Doubles, Tennis Match, Player Update
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