Indian Wells 2024: British hopes dashed as Katie Boulter and Jack Draper crash out in first round

Fresh off her first WTA 500 triumph at the San Diego Open, Katie Boulter was beaten in straight sets by Camila Giorgi in the first round at Indian Wells.

Ranked outside the WTA’s top 100 and nearly 80 places below Boulter, Giorgi wrapped up a 6-3 6-2 victory in just an hour and 18 minutes and will play Linda Noskova next.

Sandwiching a break of her own, Boulter dropped her opening two service games to fall 4-1 behind in the first set.

Giorgi had a set point at 5-2 as she applied further pressure, and although Boulter held firm, the Italian served it out to 15 to take the early advantage.

Things quickly went from bad to worse for the Brit. Again, she dropped her opening two service games and gave herself a mountain to climb at a set and 4-0 down.

Boulter did have a chance to get one of the breaks back at 1-4 in the second but she couldn’t convert, and then failed with two more as Giorgi served out to seal the win.

In the men’s draw, Acapulco semi-finalist Jack Draper crashed out at the first hurdle, surrendering a one-set lead to lose 6-1 3-6 3-6 against world No. 66 Christopher O’Connell.

Draper got off to a strong start but needed seven break chances before taking his first for a 3-1 lead after a 12-minute long fourth game.

That set him on course to cruise through the rest of the opener, the Brit winning five games in a row for a statement 6-1 set.

However, things unravelled quickly as he was broken at the first opportunity in set two, O’Connell fighting back to force a decider after staying solid behind his serve for the rest of the set.

Draper had to snuff out four break points in the opening game of the third set to survive and hold, and things looked good for the world No. 37 when he broke the Australian for a 2-0 lead.

But O’Connell responded with a superb run of six straight games, including three breaks, to wrap up a comeback win in two hours and 22 minutes.

He will face sixth seed Alexander Zverev in the second round.