Emma Raducanu took over from Katie Boulter as British No 1 when the rankings were updated on Monday, but she could lose that position in double quick time.
Raducanu’s run to the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 tournament at the Queen’s Club was enough to see her leap above Boulter in the WTA Rankings and end her two-year run as British No 1.
Yet Raducanu’s reign as the top-ranked female player in her country could be short-lived, with Boulter having a chance to reclaim that No 1 ranking this week.
After Raducanu pulled out of the WTA 500 tournament in Berlin with a back spasm issue, Boulter has a chance to quickly overtake her and become British No 1 once again next Monday.
Boulter is a two-time defending champion at the Nottingham Open and she is a star attraction at that tournament this week, where she is the No 8 seed.
A run to the semi-finals in Nottingham will be enough for Boulter to take over as British No 1 once again, with the 27-year-old insisting the rankings battle with the player she played doubles with last week is not her primary focus.
“I actually feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders this week,” Boulter told the LTA. “It’s amazing to be back here, I have such good memories.
“Some of my very first tennis memories are from here as well. I have a lot of history and to have my family here means more than anything. For me, family is everything and to have them here is truly special.”
With the Nottingham tournament being moved forward in the British grass court season calendar, Boulter’s ranking points from winning the tournament last year dropped off a week ago, so she is feeling unburdened by pressure this week.
“It’s a very different vibe this year with the scheduling,” she added.
“I’m used to coming here and starting here and getting quite a few matches under my belt going into the second week.
“To get a couple of matches at Queen’s was great – they were against very good players. Especially in my second match, I thought I started extremely well and showed what I am capable of on a grass court.
“Coming here this week is another chance that I can play well on this surface. Hopefully I can gain a bit of momentum going into Wimbledon.
“In a way, I don’t feel like I’ve got too much pressure on me here with the (ranking) points coming off last week,” she admitted. “It’s quite a relaxed feeling at the moment but once I get out there tomorrow, I’ll be fighting very hard.
“It’s a strange feeling. I always thought when I came back here, I’d feel a lot of pressure and stress about defending the title. I felt that last year, but I don’t as much this year.
“I feel like I’m here to enjoy it and it just can’t get any better. I’ve already made more memories than I could possibly imagine at this tennis centre.”
Boulter will play 2024 Wimbledon quarter-finalist Lulu Sun in her opening match in Nottingham, as she takes on a player who beat Raducanu in the last-16 at the All England Club last summer.
Raducanu is due to return to action in Eastbourne next week, but there have to be doubts over whether she will risk her back problem ahead of the third Grand Slam of the year.
