Defending champion Katie Boulter secured a spot in the third round of the Nottingham Open with a confident victory over Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino. Boulter, the British number one, broke early in both sets, clinching a 6-4 6-4 win, setting up a quarter-final encounter with either Magdalena Frech or Tatjana Maria. However, despite her win, the third seed cautioned that she's still working towards her top form on grass, stating that "it's going to take some time."
With Wimbledon just around the corner, Boulter is focused on fine-tuning her game. After a challenging three-hour battle in the first round, she got off to an ideal start on center court, breaking Marino's serve early in the match. Despite facing some pressure while serving for the set, she managed to close it out with a strong forehand.
In the second set, Boulter broke twice to take a 3-0 lead, but a brief lapse in concentration cost her a service game. Nevertheless, she regained her composure, breaking Marino once more to seal the victory. Reflecting on her performance, Boulter emphasized the importance of building momentum and taking each match one step at a time as she progresses through the tournament.
Meanwhile, British number five Heather Watson faced a tough challenge against Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova, the 2016 champion, and was defeated 6-4 6-4 later in the day.
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