Errors on serve so costly for Boulter in straight sets loss

BRITISH NO.1 BEATEN IN PARIS BY AMERICAN STAR MADISON KEYS

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BRITISH No.1 Katie Boulter double-faulted her way out of the French Open in an error-strewn second-round defeat by Madison Keys.

Boulter endured a nightmare debut on an eerily quiet Court Philippe-Chatrier, with the arena almost empty after most of the crowd left following Jannik Sinner's win over Richard Gasquet and the Frenchman's subsequent retirement party.

Beating Australian Open champion Keys, the seventh seed, was always going to be a big ask for 28-year-old Boulter, but the American did not have to work hard for three of her breaks of serve.

Boulter, of Woodhouse Eaves, coughed up double-faults on two break points in the first set, and did the same at the start of the second.

Another double-fault gave Keys her next break point, which she converted with a punishing forehand.

The 28-year-old served up nine in total in a demoralising 6-1 6-3 defeat in an hour and 19 minutes.