Katie Boulter Powers Into Ostrava Open Final With Dominant Win

Katie Boulter’s tennis resurgence continued in spectacular fashion on February 6, 2026, as the 29-year-old Brit stormed into the final of the WTA Ostrava Open with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 victory over American Katie Volynets. After a turbulent year that saw her ranking plummet and her confidence waver, Boulter’s run in Ostrava has not only reignited her career but also captured the attention of tennis fans and pundits alike.

It’s been quite the journey for Boulter. Just over a year ago, she was riding high, having reached a career-best ranking of 23rd in November 2024. But 2025 brought a string of disappointments, and by the time the Australian Open rolled around in January 2026, Boulter had slipped to 100th in the world. Entry into the main draw at Melbourne came only at the last minute, and her campaign was cut short in the first round by Belinda Bencic. It was a gut punch, sending Boulter back to the drawing board and leaving many to wonder if she could recapture her former form.

Yet, in Ostrava, Boulter has looked like a player transformed. She opened her campaign with a convincing win over home-favorite Linda Fruhvirtova, dispatching the 20-year-old Czech 6-3, 6-2 in just 68 minutes. Boulter’s aggressive style was on full display, as she struck 20 winners and won 18 of 23 first-service points. "Today I came out with one mission in mind and I felt, like, I executed what I was trying to do well. She’s a tough competitor, she’s going to throw everything at it. I’m really happy with the win today. I’ve been having an amazing time [in Ostrava] and, hopefully, I can keep going," Boulter said after her quarterfinal victory, according to official tournament sources.

This semi-final appearance was her first at this level since winning the Paris Challenger title in May 2025. The result also saw her climb to No. 110 in the live rankings, a tangible reward for her hard work and resilience. The turnaround can be traced, at least in part, to her decision to split with long-time coach Biljana Veselinovic and bring Michael Joyce on board. The move has paid dividends, with Boulter’s game showing renewed consistency and her serve—once a liability—becoming a weapon under pressure.

Her semi-final opponent, Katie Volynets, had earned her place with a gritty three-set win over fellow American Alycia Parks, prevailing 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in a marathon two-hour, 26-minute battle. The matchup between Boulter and Volynets was their first meeting, and anticipation was high, with predictive models giving Boulter a 57% chance of victory and a 56% chance to take the opening set. The odds, too, favored the Brit, with bookmakers listing her at -175 on the moneyline.

When the players took to the court on Friday morning, Boulter wasted little time asserting her authority. She raced out to a commanding lead, taking the first set in just over half an hour. Volynets, to her credit, raised her level in the second set, but Boulter’s heavy ball striking and improved serve kept her in control. After the match, Boulter reflected on her performance: "I would have liked to have done it on the first match point, not the second, so no, I’m never satisfied, but obviously, really pleased with today. I feel like she really stepped off in the second, and I tried to match it as much as I could, and keep trusting myself, and just keep going for it no matter what, and it paid off in the end."

The serve, in particular, has been a point of pride for Boulter. Last season, it let her down at key moments, but in Ostrava, it has been rock solid. "Yeah, I mean, I think that was huge. Um, I think, obviously, there were two breaks before that in the second set, and it could have easily shifted the momentum, and I just tried to make sure that I didn’t allow that to happen as much as I possibly could, and kept fighting, and I think I served well to get myself out of trouble there, and, yeah, I’m just very pleased with it," she told reporters after clinching her spot in the final.

This run marks Boulter’s fifth career final and her first in nearly two years, signaling a remarkable turnaround after a season that many would rather forget. It’s also a significant moment for British tennis: with Emma Raducanu reaching the final of the Transylvania Open in Cluj, Romania, this week marks the first time since the 2024 Lexus Nottingham Open that two British women have made WTA semi-finals in the same week. Raducanu, the British No. 1, battled past Oleksandra Oliynykova in a tense three-setter to book her place in Saturday’s final, making it a banner week for British women’s tennis.

Boulter’s resurgence is not just about results; it’s about rediscovering belief. After so many setbacks, she’s playing with freedom and a renewed sense of purpose. Her on-court demeanor has been upbeat, and she even found time to wish coach Michael Joyce a happy birthday, promising, "It’s Micky [Joyce’s] birthday tomorrow and I’m going to try and get him a present—a trophy! We’re going to leave it all on the line."

As the Ostrava Open final looms, Boulter’s confidence is sky high. She’s blasted through the draw with three consecutive straight-sets wins, and her game looks as sharp as ever. The final, set for Saturday and broadcast live on Sky Sports, offers Boulter a golden opportunity to claim her first title since San Diego and firmly replant herself among the tour’s elite. Regardless of the outcome, the message is clear: Katie Boulter is back, and she’s not satisfied with just making up the numbers.

The tennis world will be watching closely as Boulter takes to the court in Ostrava, hoping to cap off a week of redemption with a trophy. With her serve firing, her confidence soaring, and her eyes fixed on the prize, Boulter’s journey from the brink back to the big stage is one of the most compelling stories of the season. One thing’s for sure—the Brit is leaving it all out there, and the best may be yet to come.