Katie Boulter is OUT of French Open after agonising defeat by Paula ...

British No 1 Katie Boulter lost an agonisingly tight tussle with former world No 2 Paula Badosa – but in the end lost in the first round, as had her five fellow Brits. We brought a full set to Paris and lost 0-6 – the most embarrassing scoreline in tennis.

It is the first British wipeout since 2020.

Boulter emerges with the most credit though. In only her fifth tour-level match on clay the 27-year-old went toe-to-toe with a class player who is rebuilding after injury.

She and 26-year-old Badosa were almost indistinguishable. Matching purple Nike kits, white shoes, identical Wilson rackets, visor caps and long blond ponytails. 

And it is to Boulter’s credit that there was little to separate them on the court, either.

British No 1 Katie Boulter (pictured) bows out of the French Open after losing to Paula Badosa

Former world No 2 Badosa came out on top in a tight first-round contest on Tuesday

Boulter becomes the sixth Brit to exit the French Open at the first round stage this year

Boulter led by a set and 4-2 and then had break points to make it 6-5 but Badosa is a streetfighter of a player and she clawed her way back in.

The third set was tight but when it came time to serve to stay in the match Boulter sent a drive volley almost into the next arrondissement, double faulted then dumped a forehand into the net on match point.

‘I am sitting here with a bit of a heavy heart,’ she said. ‘It was an absolute battle, I gave it everything.

‘She’s a true fighter. She’s been two in the world for a reason. I tried to match that today. I was really close and played some really good tennis - aggressive tennis. As much as it hurts, I don’t mind going out in a way like that.’

Fellow Brit Dan Evans was dumped out shortly before Boulter to make it a British clean sweep

On her nascent clay-court game, Boulter added: ‘We’re working so hard behind the scenes. You guys don’t see the majority of what I’m doing but it’s starting to show. 

'It inspires me into next season. My level is there, I can compete, I can go out and win a lot of matches on the clay court. It’s just a matter of me feeling comfortable.’