Katie Boulter’s Wimbledon campaign came to a disappointing end after she was stunned by lucky loser Solana Sierra to crash out in the second round.
Boulter embraced her underdog tag during her first-round victory over ninth seed Paula Badosa but against this flinty Argentine, who lost in the last round of qualifying but got a late call to enter the draw, she struggled with being the favourite.
In a match that quickly became an arm wrestle, Boulter failed to impose herself against a fearless 21-year-old who belied her world ranking of 101 with a zippy forehand, succumbing to a 7-6, 2-6, 1-6 defeat.
Despite digging deep to recover a 5-2 opening set deficit, after that her level continued to drop, coughing up double faults like they were going out of fashion. She leaked an unwanted tally of 14 over a contest low on quality which saw both players feed off each other’s errors rather than engineer their own points through tennis intuition.
To illustrate lacklustre her serving game, at one point Boulter was landing just 44 per cent of her first serves during a topsy turvy first set and, save for a seven-match winning streak to claw three games back to force a first set tie-break – struggled to string together any sort of momentum.
She found herself down a double-break in the second set and she continued to be hampered by her own serving woes, before her level dropped off a cliff in a nightmare deciding set. At times it was hard to believe this was the same player who had started the grass court swing as British No 1.
What a missed opportunity this was given the cluster of top seeds that have fallen in the women’s draw and the personnel who potentially lie ahead – had she beaten Sierra she would have faced world No 40 Cristina Busca next.
06:42 PM BST
Sierra: ‘It feels amazing!”
Sierra is speaking in her post-match interview with the BBC.
On how it feels to win this match: “It feels amazing. I knew it was a really tough match. Katie is an amazing player so I just tried to focus on myself and enjoy the moment because it’s just a dream to play here in Wimbledon, here in this court, and with this crowd, so thank you.”
On beating a top-50 player for the first time: “I’m super proud. It was really tough. From the very beginning with my team I believed in myself that I can win this match so I’m super happy.”
On having had to change house more than once because her stay keeps being extended: “I lost in the third round of qualies so we already changed the apartment, like, three times and now we’re going to change again because I won. But, like we say, it’s a good problem.”
06:32 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 2-6, 1-6 Sierra
Boulter takes the first point but hits another lame forehand long. 15-all.
Another double-fault. 15-30.
Regulation forehand into the tramlines. 15-40.
Two match points.
Two lets. Her serving has really been her undoing today.
Backhand into the net from Boulter.
Game, set and match Sierra.
Solana, take a bow 👏
World No.101 and lucky loser Solana Sierra beats Katie Boulter coming from a set down to win 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 🇦🇷#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/8iMmGg9Bxn
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025
06:29 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 2-6, 1-5 Sierra*
A long baseline rally concludes with another unforced error from Boulter, who batters a forehand long.
Boulter’s return flies out. 30-0.
Double-fault 30-15.
Boulter lashes another return well wide. 40-15.
And the next one fails to clear the net.
The writing is on the wall for Boulter here.
Sierra holds serve.
06:24 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 2-6, 1-4 Sierra
Boulter goes to the net for only the fourth time this match and wins the point.
Unforced error. 15-all.
A better ball toss and a better serve. 30-15.
Fantastic winner from Boulter. Pulverising forehand into the corner from the baseline. 40-15.
Good serve. Game!
Is it too little too late?
Boulter holds serve.
06:22 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 2-6, 0-4 Sierra*
Can Boulter find her game from somewhere?
She goes long with her return. 15-0.
This time she stays in the rally and waits for Sierra to err, which does with a backhand into the net. 15-all.
That’s a beautiful forehand cross-court winner from Sierra, who looks the higher ranked of the two by a country mile this evening.
Right on cue she double-faults. 30-all.
Boulter misses her return. 40-30.
A well-constructed point there by Sierra, who is running away with this.
Sierra holds serve.
06:18 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 2-6, 0-3 Sierra
Boulter fails to move her feet and hits Sierra’s return into the net.
Boulter, perhaps conscious of hitting the net again, overdoes it with the topspin and hits a terrible looping forehand out of play. 0-30.
Big serve. 15-30.
Boulter goes long. 15-40. The Briton is playing very, very badly.
And she crowns her display with another double-fault.
Her confidence looks shot.
Sierra breaks serve.
06:15 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 2-6, 0-2 Sierra*
Boulter hits a good return but sends her next effort into the net. 15-all.
Sierra misses with her attempted pass. 15-30.
Great shot from the Argentine to level at 30-all.
Good block return from Boulter but then she goes for the passing shot down the line but hits her normally trusty forehand into the net.
Boulter misses with her return.
Sierra holds serve.
06:12 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 2-6, 0-1 Sierra
Boulter’s game is disintegrating.
Poor serves and an inspired Sierra take her to 0-40.
Then she hits the most straightforward forehand a mile out of court.
Sierra breaks serve.
06:07 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 2-6 Sierra*
Sierra is serving for the set at 5-2, but she was ahead by this scoreline in the previous set, remember.
Boulter hits two returns out and then Sierra buries a delightful forehand down the line to bring up three set points.
Fantastic winner from Sierra. Deservedly levels the match.
Sierra holds serve.
Sierra wins second set.
06:04 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 2-5 Sierra
Two fantastic returns and yet another double-fault and Boulter is staring at three more break points on her evermore flaky serve.
Boulter goes for the passing shot down the line and misses.
Sierra breaks serve.
06:02 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 2-4 Sierra*
Good return from Boulter and Sierra nets. 0-15.
Another blistering return from Boulter. 0-30.
The Briton engages in a long rally but then finds the tramlines with her backhand. 15-30.
Boulter nets with a regulation backhand. Poor. 30-all.
Sierra is bamboozled by a big return from Boulter. The ball spins off her racket and it’s break point.
Sierra goes long and Boulter has cause for optimism.
Boulter breaks serve.
05:58 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 1-4 Sierra
A rare ace from Boulter gives her 15-0.
She follows an unforced error with two more good serves to bring up game point.
Double-fault. I make that 10 already. Dear me. 40-30.
A good return by Sierra is cannoned into the crowd by Boulter, who looks disgusted with herself. Deuce.
Another good return from Sierra who sends it back with interest straight on Boulter’s laces.
Sierra fires her return long and Boulter screams encouragement to herself. Deuce.
Boulter just misses the baseline with a hastily adapted backhand and she’s facing another break point.
Brilliant stroke play from the Argentine, who forces Boulter on to the back foot and she can only net.
Boulter needs to dig deep here.
Sierra breaks serve.
05:53 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 1-3 Sierra*
Sierra is serving the better of the two players, although, that’s not saying much considering Boulter’s struggles with her toss.
It’s leading her to send too many first serves into the net.
Boulter wins a couple of points but Sierra applies a touch of class with a drop shot that wins her the game.
Sierra holds serve.
05:49 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 1-2 Sierra
Boulter is having to fight tooth and nail in this match as Sierra is clearly a tough customer.
The Briton goes 30-0 up but, undeterred, the Lucky Loser keeps faith in powerful forehand and effective return, which she unleashes on repeat to earn another break of serve.
Sierra breaks serve.
05:44 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (7), 1-1 Sierra*
Sierra has the chance to put away a volley at 40-30 but somehow puts it in the net. Deuce.
She hits too superb backhand winners to hold serve. The Argentine has shown great mental strength considering the three-game lead she gave away in the previous set, not to mention the horror tie-break.
Sierra holds serve.
05:42 PM BST
Boulter* 7-6 (7), 1-0 Sierra
Three solid service points followed by yet another double-fault.
Boulter then goes long to complicate her life. 40-30.
Sierra battles back to deuce thanks to a brilliant return and two pounding forehands into the corner.
Delightful cross-court forehand from Sierra brings up break-point.
Sierra tries to hammer the second serve but sends it long. Let-off for Boulter. Deuce.
Good serve Boulter. Game point.
Another double-fault. Poor serving from Boulter so far today.
Good dominant tennis there from Boulter. Far more assertive and proactive as she batters a series of forehands that forces Sierra out of the court.
Good serve. Good nerve.
Boulter holds serve.
05:32 PM BST
Boulter 7-6 (9-7) Sierra
We are back on serve. And Boulter earns set-point somehow.
But serving on set-point Boulter hits a backhand into the net from the baseline. Poor.
Boulter hits a brilliant shot to earn another set-point.
Superb variety again from Boulter and her backhand slice has Sierra sprawling.
From 5-2 down she has showed great guts to claw that set out of nowhere.
Boulter wins set.
Katie Boulter takes the first set! 👏🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/tjmYf49MjJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 2, 2025
Boulter is beginning to find her rhythm, but my word it’s taken a while. She has fought from 5-2 down to take the opening set by playing ugly and she’s been put under huge pressure from Sierra’s aggressive forehand.
To illustrate how lacklustre her serving game has been, at one point Boulter was landing just 44 per cent of her first serves during that first set. Despite controlling the tie-break – she was 5-2 up – her game continued to be riddled with errors as she squandered three set points. You could feel the relief when she let out a huge roar as she finally got the job done.
05:28 PM BST
Boulter* 6-6 (6-6) Sierra
Boulter has not played particularly well this set but she just needs to hold her nerve.
Sierra can’t cope with the body serve. 5-2.
Boulter shanks her return into the tramlines. 5-3.
The British No 2 mishits a regulation forehand into the air. 5-4.
Two aces would do it now.
It’s not an ace and Boulter even mishits her forehand but it lands on the line. Sierra then contrives to miss. 6-4.
Double-fault Boulter. Doh! 6-5.
Sierra is serving with another set point against her.
And that might be the best rally of the match. Both players changes tact but Sierra levels up with a delightful crosscourt winner.
Change of ends.
05:23 PM BST
Boulter* 6-6 (4-2) Sierra
Boulter hits a good return to get the mini-break on the first point.
She hits an unreturnable serve but then spoons a backhand into the net after Sierra loaded her approach with backspin.
Boulter hits a brilliant winner to get the mini-break back and then Sierra finds the net to cede a three-point gap.
Sierra batters a forehand across court to get a point back.
They change ends.
05:20 PM BST
Boulter* 6-6 Sierra
Sierra gets the first two serves back but Boulter raises her game to nail a forehand winner and then bides her time to coax two unforced errors from her opponent to move 40-0 up.
Double-fault number six for Boulter. 40-15.
Sierra goes after the serve but nets it.
We have a tie-break.
Boulter holds serve.
05:16 PM BST
Boulter 5-6 Sierra*
Good serve for 15-0.
Boulter block returns the next one and Sierra nets. 15-all.
A good, long rally this time, which Boulter wins but Sierra slipped over again there at a critical moment, prompting the Argentine to chunter away to herself. 15-30.
Boulter nets her return. 30-all.
Sierra goes for the drop shot, which Boulter reaches, but is passed by a glorious backhand from the smiling Sierra.
Boulter sends her return long.
Sierra holds serve.
05:12 PM BST
Boulter* 5-5 Sierra
Boulter is once more serving to stay in the set.
Another double-fault! 0-15.
Sierra tries to nail a slow second serve and she narrowly misses with her cross-court forehand that fades a shade wide. 15-all.
Good return. Right at Boulter’s feet. 15-30.
The Briton is struggling with her ball toss, but gets her serve in and Sierra nearly finds the corner with her attempt down the line, but it’s too deep. 30-all.
Sierra slips while trying to return and nets. 40-30.
Sierra shanks another one well long.
Boulter holds serve.
05:08 PM BST
Boulter 4-5 Sierra*
Boulter throws a lot of shot variety into a rare rally.
There is a backhand slice, a toppy forehand and then a booming forehand winner. 0-15.
Another good return and Sierra nets. 0-30.
Carbon copy of the previous point for 0-40. The British No 2 is waking up.
Boulter shanks her attempted return well wide. And then can’t cope with the 115mph first serve. 30-40.
Boulter returns this one and Sierra completely miscues. The ball goes nowhere. And Boulter is back!
Boulter breaks serve.
05:05 PM BST
Boulter* 3-5 Sierra
Boulter is already serving to stay in the set.
Sierra nets her attempted return. 15-love.
Another good serve with the new balls. 30-0.
That’s a powerful second serve from Boulter. Sierra sprays it wide and then nets the next one. Game Boulter.
Boulter holds serve.
05:02 PM BST
Boulter 2-5 Sierra*
Sierra hits a winner that just catches the edge of the line. Fortune favours the brave. 15-0.
This time the South American sprays her forehand wide. And is then surprised by Boulter’s aggressive return. 15-30.
Ace. Down the T. 30-all.
Big serve and a great backhand that wrong-foots Boulter, who then shanks her next return attempt.
Boulter is struggling with her own serve and having trouble dealing with Sierra’s powerful first serve. Not a great combination.
Sierra holds serve.
It’s been a strange start to this match. Both players are feeding off each other’s serving errors and it seems more like a contest between who can score the most double faults. Boulter began this match with a trio of break points and broke Sierra on the second attempt, but could not consolidate and is yet to find her A-game.
The British No 2 has also had problems with her ball toss – at one point she even paused as a butterfly fluttered too close to her. Unlike her gutsy win over ninth seed Paula Badosa in the first round, she can’t rely on her underdog tag in this contest so it will be intriguing to see how the Leicester player manages that shift in mindset.
On a separate note, the sun has peeped through the grey clouds from earlier and a section of the crowd on No 1 Court are catching some rays.
04:59 PM BST
Boulter* 2-4 Sierra
Good return by Sierra and Boulter’s forehand hits the top of the net and drops the wrong side of it. 0-15.
Boulter pounds cross-court at the Sierra backhand and at the third time of asking she nets.
Superb passing return down the line from Sierra. 15-30.
An unforced error by Boulter finds her staring at two break points against her serve.
Double-fault.
Oh dear. Poor from Boulter. She looks really flat just now.
Sierra breaks serve.
04:55 PM BST
Boulter 2-3 Sierra*
Two good serves give Sierra 30-0.
A rare rally breaks out but Boulter mishits a regulation forehand long.
Another good serve for another short game.
Sierra holds serve.
04:53 PM BST
Boulter* 2-2 Sierra
Ace. Down the middle. 15-0.
Sierra hits her return a fraction long, and then puts the next one wide. 40-0.
Double-fault. 40-15.
Sierra tries a backhand winner but it finds the tramlines.
Boulter holds serve.
04:49 PM BST
Boulter 1-2 Sierra*
Sierra takes the first point with a good first serve.
Her second serve isn’t bad either. Boulter nets. 30-0.
The Briton nets her return again. 40-0.
Double-fault. That’s two each already.
Sierra attempts a forehand but the ball hits the frame and disappears into the crowd. I think we can all relate to that shot.
Double-fault. Deuce. From 40-0 up.
Boom. Ace.
Not sure we’ve actually seen a rally yet.
And we still haven’t. Boulter nets.
Sierra holds serve.
04:45 PM BST
Boulter* 1-1 Sierra
Good return by Sierra for 0-15 but then she nets her next attempts on the forehand side. 15-all.
Powerful return from the South American straight at Boulter’s feet and she can’t pick it up. 15-30.
Boulter forces Sierra wide on her forehand side and the Argentine goes long. 30-all.
Double-fault. Break point for Sierra.
Superb forehand cross-court winner by Sierra, punishing the Boulter second serve.
Sierra breaks serve.
04:41 PM BST
Boulter 1-0 Sierra*
Boulter wins the toss and elects to receive and put some early pressure on the Argentine’s serve.
Sierra goes wide to lose the first point on her serve and then Boulter deliver a wonderful passing shot down the line to take a 0-30 lead. Sierra nets with a backhand and all of a sudden is staring at 0-40.
Boulter can’t handle the heat on that serve. 15-40.
The Briton nets with a regulation forehand. 30-40.
Double-fault.
Boulter breaks serve.
04:38 PM BST
Players ready
The players are now on No 1 Court which is now bathed in sunshine.
There are some umbrellas up, but now they are being used to shield from the sun rather than the rain, which is a rather pleasant development.
Boulter will be hoping Sierra doesn’t rain on her parade. The Argentinian is playing in her first Wimbledon and earned the right to play the British No 2 after beating Australian Olivia Badecki in straight sets on Monday.
04:34 PM BST
Can Briton impress again?
Boulter has emerged into the player’s tunnel, where she is bouncing up and down as though she means business.
This is a wonderful opportunity for the British No 2 to reach the third round for the third time in four years.
Boulter’s win over Badosa was arguably one of the best of her career and so she will want to back that up against her South American opponent.
04:20 PM BST
Boulter favourite against lucky loser
Fresh from basking in one of the biggest wins of her career, Katie Boulter’s thoughts must turn towards today’s battle against Argentine lucky loser Solana Sierra and a place in the third round.
On Monday, the British No 1 sank Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 for only her fourth win over a top-10 player, and her first in more than a year.
After the match, she said: “Centre Court, Wimbledon, as a Brit, against a top-10 player, for me doesn’t get that much better.”
Whereas she went into the Badosa match as the underdog, Boulter is favourite against Sierra. Can she live up to that billing on Court No 1?
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