Boulter navigated a difficult match full of twists and turns towards Tomljanovic in her first singles match of the season on grass.
The 28-year-old got here by means of a tense deciding set to e-book a last-16 assembly with fifth seed Diana Shnaider.
However, having slipped within the rankings this yr whereas Raducanu has quietly crept again up, Boulter might finish the match having misplaced her standing as Britain’s main girl, which she has held since June 2023.
The 2 have paired up for the doubles occasion at Queen’s and Boulter stated she is glad to see Raducanu pushing her for high spot within the singles.
“Clearly, it holds a large privilege being that particular person, however as I’ve stated for the final two years which I’ve held that place, I am not targeted on essentially that. I am targeted on myself and protecting my rating up the place I need it to be,” Boulter stated.
The pair are on reverse sides of the draw at Queen’s, that means they may not meet till the ultimate.
However Raducanu might want to equal or higher Boulter’s run to regain her standing as British primary, a place she held following her 2021 US Open win till Boulter took over.
The 22-year-old was eager to minimize the importance of the rankings.
“The match continues to be younger and Katie can go on a rip this week as effectively. Actually, it is good in a manner having one thing to chase at one, however we’ve such an ideal relationship that it is a very wholesome competitors,” she stated.
Raducanu and Boulter will set the pleasant home rivalry apart on Wednesday after they workforce as much as tackle high seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe within the doubles after the top-seeded pair from Ukraine and New Zealand beat Britain’s Kartal and Jodie Burrage 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-1).
