Boulter rebuilding after Bencic defeat

KATIE

- By ELEANOR CROOKS

Katie Boulter of Britain plays a forehand return to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during their first round match at the Australian Open Aaron Favila

(Aaron Favila)

Boulter insisted she is looking forward to trying to slog her way through tennis’ backwaters again after an Australian Open loss to Belinda Bencic that started disastrously but ended in some promise.Boulter has slumped to 113 in the rankings and only snuck into the draw at the last minute - to find herself paired with arguably the most inform player in the women's game, with Bencic back in the top 10 little over a year after returning from the birth of her daughter and fresh from a win over Iga Swiatek.

The British number four won only 10 points in the opening set but rallied in the second before slipping to a 6-0 7-5 defeat.

“As I settled into the second, I can take confidence from the fact that I can definitely improve myself” said Boulter.