The dynamic duo of tennis, Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter, recently engaged and fresh off their Eisenhower Cup debut as a mixed doubles team, didn’t exactly have a dream start. However, their charming repartee both on and off the court, overshadowed their 10-7 defeat to reigning champions Emma Navarro and Ben Shelton at the Tie Break Tens exhibition.
Boulter, currently ranked 38th in the WTA World, humorously hinted at their pairing being a one-off. She playfully stated that their partnership was a “second…and last time” affair. This jest was in reference to their previous stint as a team during the Wimbledon mixed doubles competition. Despite her teasing remarks, both tennis players have expressed their desire to join forces again for the US Open later this year.
De Minaur, taking the joke in stride, responded with equal jest. “I wasn’t sure if she was joking or not! We will have to see if US Open mixed is still on the cards,” the 26-year-old shared with Sky Sports. “I don’t think she was too happy with me. I missed too many volleys, and I wasn’t the greatest partner. She always carries me! I need to improve.”
Their playful exchange continued on social media as well, with Boulter sharing snapshots of their time on court during the exhibition match on Instagram. De Minaur, ever the comedian, responded by jokingly lamenting the loss of their wedding budget, in light of the hefty $200,000 prize money of the Eisenhower Cup, which was won by Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina.
Looking beyond their Eisenhower Cup escapade, both Boulter and de Minaur are set to bring their A-game to their individual campaigns at the Indian Wells. De Minaur, currently seeded ninth at the Indian Wells, looks to improve upon his performance from last season where he was seeded 10th and fell out in the third round. This time, he aims to put up a stronger fight, with his first-round match scheduled for Saturday.
However, de Minaur has had a rocky start to the year, with disappointing performances in Melbourne, Rotterdam, and the Middle East swing. After being knocked out in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, he managed to reach the final at his next ATP event in Rotterdam, only to be defeated by Carlos Alcaraz.
On the other side of the court, Boulter, currently ranked 25th in the WTA, is geared up to start her campaign against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu on Friday. Her performance at the previous year’s Indian Wells was less than satisfactory, with an early exit against Italy’s Camila Giorgi. After a second-round exit at the Australian Open, Boulter is eager to make her mark at her first WTA tournament of the year.
As we watch this power couple on and off the court, the question remains – what will Indian Wells have in store for them this month? Do share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below.