Katie Boulter's reign as British No 1 has come to an end after a disappointing last-16 defeat to fifth seed Diana Shnaider at Queen's.
The 28-year-old, who had held the top ranking since June 2023, fell 2-6 6-3 6-2 on a sweltering afternoon disrupted by rain in west London.
Emma Raducanu will now overtake Boulter at the summit of British women's tennis following the result at the first women's Queen's tournament since 1973.
Boulter had dominated the opening set but struggled to maintain her momentum after a 20-minute rain delay, ultimately succumbing to the Russian fifth seed.
Katie Boulter's reign as British No 1 has come to an end after a disappointing last-16 defeat to fifth seed Diana Shnaider at Queen's
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Boulter had started brilliantly, breaking Shnaider twice to claim the first set with commanding tennis. She saved an early break point before breaking to love with an impressive volley that delighted the crowd.
The British player consolidated with a crucial hold, then secured a double break with a sweeping forehand. Her serving looked solid as she wrapped up the opening set just as storm clouds gathered over west London.
However, when the umpire halted play due to rain with Boulter trailing 4-1 in the second set, the momentum shifted dramatically. The enforced break proved costly as she returned to drop her serve again.
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Emma Raducanu will leapfrog Katie Boulter in the world rankings
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Despite winning one break back, Boulter couldn't prevent Shnaider from levelling the match. The third set saw immediate pressure on Boulter's serve as she faced three break points in the opening game.
Though she saved those, her serving woes intensified. She rescued more break points in her following service game before a costly double fault handed Shnaider the breakthrough.
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Unable to regain her composure, Boulter dropped serve again to trail by a double break.
Her hopes of reaching a fifth quarter-final in a WTA 500 event evaporated as her rival closed out the victory to set up a clash with second seed Madison Keys.
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British hopes now rest on Heather Watson and Raducanu as they seek quarter-final berths later on Thursday. Watson faces a formidable challenge against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Raducanu, who will reclaim the British number one ranking following Boulter's exit, takes on Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova.
Diana Shnaider was too strong for Katie Boulter at Queen's
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The 2021 US Open champion's elevation to the top of British tennis comes as she continues her grass-court preparations ahead of Wimbledon.
With Boulter eliminated, the remaining British players carry the home nation's hopes of reaching the last eight at this historic Queen's event.
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