"I was privileged enough to ask him and he said yes" - Katie Boulter on playing Wimbledon with boyfriend Alex de Minaur
Seemingly buoyed by her recent success on grass, Katie Boulter has decided to partner her boyfriend Alex de Minaur for the 2023 Wimbledon mixed doubles competition.
Sharing the news during her post-match press conference, Boulter said she had the "privilege" to ask De Minaur to partner her at Wimbledon and he said yes.
Elaborating on their plans, the Brit said they had been thinking about sharing the court for quite some time. She went on to express hope that it will be an experience that they can cherish.
"Yeah, I mean, I was privileged enough to ask him and he said yeah," Katie Boulter said. "No, I think it's something we've both wanted to do for quite some time. I think we're both going to really enjoy it and cherish it. It's not often that you get to have that experience together, especially at Wimbledon."
"We're going to go out there and have a swing," she continued. "We've got nothing to lose, so I'm looking forward to it."
Boulter said she was embracing the challenge that sharing the court with her boyfriend might bring, saying the same will test their relationship.
"I think it's going to be a experience," Katie Boulter said. "It's going to test our relationship. I don't doubt that for a minute. No, it's a totally different vibe going on the court with him. I think we bring the best out of each other, in terms of tennis, on and off the court."
"Definitely I always notice him" - Katie Boulter on Alex de Minaur supporting her during Wimbledon match
Alex de Minaur also stepped out on Court 18 to support girlfriend Katie Boulter during her opening women's singles encounter against Daria Saville.
On being asked if she took notice, Boulter said she always notices De Minaur and was happy that he could be out there to cheer her on — even if it was only for a few games.
"Yeah, definitely I always notice him." she said. "He told me ahead that he would come for a couple of games. Obviously he's preparing for his own match, so he needs to be pretty focused himself."
Boulter said she was looking forward to returning the favor and being the one cheering De Minaur on over the course of the tournament.
"Obviously I very much appreciate having him there," she continued. "Just having him there for a couple of games makes all the difference for me. I'm glad he was out there. I'm going to be doing the same in a few minutes."