Angelina Kalinina starts successfully at the tournament in Birmingham

Ukrainian tennis player Angelina Kalinina (WTA 47) won a convincing victory in the first round of the WTA 250 tournament in Birmingham. The meeting with British Katie Boulter (WTA 31), which took place in the 1/16 finals, ended in favor of Kalinina after the first set.

An unexpected turn of events

Kalinina won the first set with a score of 6:3, after which Boulter decided to withdraw from further fights due to physical problems. It was the first face-to-face match between these rivals, and the Ukrainian played on grass for the first time this year.

Preparation for Wimbledon

Angelina Kalinina is actively preparing for one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year - Wimbledon, which will begin in early July. Reaching the second round of the tournament in Birmingham is an important stage of this preparation.

The next opponent is Yulia Putintseva

In the second round of the competition, Kalinin will meet Yulia Putintseva from Kazakhstan (WTA 41). It promises to be a tight match, because Putintseva is also in great shape.

Fatigue after Nottingham

Katie Boulter, who on Sunday, June 16, won the tournament in Nottingham, having played both the semi-final and final matches in one day, had very little chance of a full recovery before the match with Kalinina. This factor probably influenced her decision to withdraw from the tournament after the first set.

"Unfortunately, Katie Boulter had to withdraw from the Rothesay Classic after Angelina Kalinina won the first set 6-3 in Birmingham," LTA said.

Analysis and forecasts

Victory over Boulter is an important step for Kalinina on the way to a successful performance at Wimbledon. Her game on grass showed that she is ready for serious challenges and is able to compete with the strongest opponents. The next match against Putintseva will be a real test for the Ukrainian tennis player.

Editor: Emilia Morozova