"I've put a lot of work in these last few years and it's coming to fruition so I'm pretty ecstatic about that and happy that everything's going well"
Monday 3 July 2017 09:59, UK
British newcomer Katie Boulter is hoping for a Wimbledon upset to rival her beloved Leicester City's 5000-1 title win.
The Leicester-born 20-year-old has been handed a wild card for both the ladies singles and the ladies doubles at the All England Championships, having failed to earn automatic qualification through her world ranking despite breaking into the top 300 this year.
Now Boulter launches her senior grand slam career with a first-round tie against Christina McHale, and wants to deliver on the same level that Jamie Vardy did in Leicester's against-all-odds season.
Asked who ranked as her favourite player from Claudio Ranieri's 2015/16 miracle workers, Boulter said: "It would be Vardy surely."
Facing 2000-1 odds on being crowned Wimbledon champion, world No 235 Boulter enters the tournament more fancied than her favourite football team were ahead of Premier League glory, and is dreaming of another unlikely fairytale coming to fruition.
Asked if she match up to Vardy's heroics at Wimbledon, Boulter said: "I would love to hope so but who knows."
American opponent McHale has won just three matches in her last 11 tournaments, but Boulter remains cautious ahead of her Wimbledon bow.
"Every player in the draw is going to be a good player so I'm just going to go out there and play my game and see what I can do against her," she said.
"I've put a lot of work in these last few years and it's coming to fruition so I'm pretty ecstatic about that and happy that everything's going well."
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