Top seeds end Boulter’s run in the doubles

KATIE Boulter’s budding doubles partnership with Emma Raducanu come to a end after falling to a straight sets defeat at Queen's

- writes Megan Armitage, of Sportsbeat.

Woodhouse Eaves star Boulter and former US Open champion Raducanu lost 6-2 7-5 to top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and New Zealand's Erin Routliffe in the quarter-finals of the HSBC Championships, despite saving three set points to try and force a deciding set.

It was a performance that the British No.1 and 2 duo were proud of, with smiles still strewn on their faces in a partnership that is being built for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in China in September.

"We are both playing the Billie Jean King Cup, and we want to put ourselves in the best position possible," said Raducanu, following their opening match at Queen's.