KATIE BOULTER broke down in tears after being forced to retire at the Hong Kong Open.
The former British No1 lost the first set to Alexandra Eala 6-4 before quitting while 2-1 down in the second.
Katie Boulter broke down in tears after being forced to retireCredit: Refer to source
Alexandra Eala won the first set and was 2-1 up in the secondCredit: Getty
She called a physio and received treatment in order to try and continue, but was unable to.
It was an emotional affair for who burst into tears at the end of the match.
It is a blow for the 29-year-old who is now at risk of dropping out of the top 100.
She has 744 ranking points with several other stars ready to overtake her.
Boulter last year finished as runner-up at the Open but this time only made it as far as the first round.
Her other recent results include a third-round exit at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, and a second-round appearance at the Kinoshita Group Open.
Eala#s celebrations were muted and she showed sympathy for Boulter#s predicament after the match.
She said: “I’m a little out of words.
“I think this time of the year is tough moments for a lot of players, physically and mentally, being the end of the season.
“So I hope that Katie can take this time to recover and just look back at her season proudly.”
