Boulter Sets Up Golubic Rematch After Ostrava Thriller

The WTA 250 Ostrava Open in Czechia has served up a fresh batch of drama and determination, with British No. 4 Katie Boulter making headlines after a gritty, hard-fought victory in her opening round. Boulter’s 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win over Czech wild card Lucie Havlickova not only gave her a much-needed boost following a difficult 2025 season but also set up a highly anticipated second-round clash with Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic—a player who holds a 2-1 edge in their head-to-head record.

Tuesday’s first-round encounter between Boulter and Havlickova was anything but straightforward. The match lasted one hour and 53 minutes, with both players trading momentum in front of an enthusiastic Czech crowd. Boulter, currently ranked 120 in the world and looking to recapture her career-high ranking of 23, showed flashes of her aggressive baseline game, particularly in the decisive third set. She won an impressive 85% of points behind her first serve and converted four of ten break-point opportunities, a stat that ultimately proved crucial.

"I feel, like, it’s going well at the moment. I think we’re all quite calm, which really helps, because I’ve got that energy around me, which is important for me as a tennis player," Boulter reflected after the match, attributing her renewed confidence to her support team and recent coaching change. Just three weeks prior to the tournament, Boulter appointed Michael Joyce as her new coach, ending a three-year partnership with Biljana Veselinovic. Joyce’s pedigree is well established—having worked with the likes of Maria Sharapova, Johanna Konta, and most recently Ashlyn Krueger—and Boulter is optimistic that his experience can help her climb back up the WTA rankings.

"Personally I always really liked him," Boulter said about Joyce. "I thought he’s done a really good job with a lot of other players… Jessie, Ashlyn. I feel, like, he’s been around a long time on tour. He’s someone that I didn’t really get to know that much until I spent time with him on court, and I really like his style."

Boulter’s victory over Havlickova was her second main-draw win of the 2026 season, a notable achievement given her punishing schedule and recent losses to top-10 opponents Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina in January. The British player’s ability to regroup after dropping the second set was particularly impressive, as she surged ahead with a dominant third-set performance reminiscent of her earlier-season win over Yuliia Starodubtseva.

For Havlickova, the match was another tough lesson in her transition to the senior circuit. The 20-year-old Czech, ranked 276, had ended 2025 on a high note with an ITF final and a title in Slovakia, but back-to-back first-round exits in 2026 highlight the challenges of consistency at the elite level. Despite leveling the match by taking the second set, Havlickova struggled to maintain her intensity, converting just 29% of her break-point chances (2 of 7), compared to Boulter’s 40% (4 of 10).

Boulter’s reward is a round-of-16 showdown with Viktorija Golubic, who dispatched Austria’s Sinja Kraus 6-4, 6-0 in her opener. Golubic, the crafty Swiss, has a reputation for disrupting her opponents’ rhythm with her variety and tactical acumen. The pair’s last meeting was in Cleveland in 2025, where Golubic emerged victorious in a tight three-setter, 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-4. While Golubic leads their head-to-head 2-1, they have never faced off on indoor hard courts, adding a layer of intrigue to their upcoming clash.

The Ostrava Open has already seen its share of surprises. American Katie Volynets stunned the top seed, Germany’s Tatjana Maria, 7-5, 6-1, to book her spot in the quarter-finals. Volynets, ranked 96, delivered a commanding performance, saving three of four break points and converting five of eleven opportunities. The win sets up an all-American quarter-final against Alycia Parks, who herself advanced with a straight-sets win over Elina Avanesyan.

Elsewhere in the draw, No. 6 seed Caty McNally advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Czech Tereza Martincova, while No. 4 seed Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia cruised past Vendula Valdmannova 6-2, 6-3. Nikola Bartunkova, fresh off an impressive Australian Open campaign, continued her momentum by beating third seed Anna Blinkova, and Diane Parry returned to form following injury struggles to dispatch Oceane Dodin 6-1, 6-4.

As for Boulter, the stakes are clear. A win over Golubic would not only boost her confidence and ranking points but also add $2,140 to her prize money tally, bringing her total earnings for the tournament to $7,025. After amassing $1,385 for her opening-round triumph, every victory is significant for the Brit as she seeks to reestablish herself among the game’s elite.

But it won’t be easy. Golubic’s variety and experience have proven tricky for Boulter in the past, and the Swiss player’s ability to mix up pace and angles could pose problems once again. Still, Boulter’s aggressive style, coupled with her renewed belief under Michael Joyce’s guidance, gives her every chance of flipping the script. As one analyst put it, "What can make a difference in this match-up is Golubic’s craftiness. The Swiss player’s variety can disrupt Boulter’s rhythm. I am not confident in the Briton’s ability to handle that and make the correct decisions." The prediction? Golubic in three sets, but don’t count Boulter out just yet.

With the Ostrava Open heating up and a host of intriguing matchups on the horizon—including Tamara Korpatsch versus Emiliana Arango, Rebecca Sramkova against Linda Fruhvirtova, and Fiona Ferro taking on Nikola Bartunkova—tennis fans can expect more twists and turns before a champion is crowned.

For Boulter, the next chapter in her comeback story is about to unfold. Whether she can overcome Golubic’s challenge and continue her upward trajectory remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: the British star is fighting hard to reclaim her place at the top of the women’s game, and Ostrava is providing the perfect stage for her resurgence.