Katie Boulter has successfully reclaimed her status as the British number one after a thrilling quarter-final match at the Japan Open, where she battled back to defeat Antonia Ruzic in three sets.

The 30-year-old faced a challenging start, having been dethroned earlier in the week when Sonay Kartal reached the final in Wuhan. With a 55-point deficit to overcome, Boulter knew that advancing to the semi-finals in Osaka would restore her ranking.

In a match that lasted two hours, the eighth seed initially trailed Ruzic, ranked 91st in the world, by a set and a break. However, Boulter showcased her resilience, ultimately winning the match with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Looking ahead, Boulter is set to face Katerina Siniakova in the semi-finals. Regardless of the outcome, she is guaranteed to surpass Kartal and return to the world’s top 50 when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday.

Boulter praised Ruzic, stating, "[Ruzic] is a really good player, full credit to her. I tried to hang tough and find a way. I was a bit lucky in the middle of the second [set] but I feel I did really well to stay there."

On the upcoming match against Siniakova, she remarked, "She's one hell of a player, extremely dangerous. It's going to be who gets the first strike in. I've got nothing to lose. She's been building extremely well this week, so I'm going to have to come prepared."