'I expect to get stronger' - Katie Boulter reflects on tough turnaround after defeat to Lin Zhu in Birmingham

Katie Boulter insists the champagne remains firmly on ice despite her stunning start to the British grass court season. The nation's new women's No.1, 26, clinched her first WTA title at the LTA's Rothesay Open Nottingham on Sunday, but suffered a straight sets defeat against Chinese star Zhu Lin at the LTA's Rothesay Classic Birmingham on Tuesday. Ad Boulter, who is a graduate of the LTA's Pro Scholarship Programme, embarked on a brilliant run to the semi-finals in Surbiton earlier this month, before her triumph in the battle of the Brits against Jodie Burrage at the weekend cemented her status as Britain's highest-ranked player.

TennisBoulter puts celebrations on hold despite excellent start on grass2 HOURS AGO The Leicester star did not get carried away after that confident straight sets victory, and hopes a strong run at Wimbledon can lay the platform for a long-awaited summer celebration. Boulter, who lost 7-5 7-5 to world No.39 Zhu, said: «No we didn't [celebrate after Nottingham]. »I had a nice team dinner and was actually getting treatment during that dinner, so it wasn't anything irregular.

«I'm sure I'm going to take that time [to celebrate] once I've competed all these weeks at the end of the season and after Wimbledon, I'll make sure I have a nice team dinner again. »It was obviously a tough match today and I knew coming in here I would be on the back foot body-wise, which is actually a place I want to be. «I didn't want to skip a week, I gave everything I had but was unfortunately on the losing side.