Wimbledon 2018: Who is Katie Boulter? Rising star taking inspiration from Leicester ahead of Naomi Osaka clash

The 21-year-old Foxes fan won her first grand slam match against Veronica Cepede Royg on Tuesday to continue the rapid improvement that has carried her to the verge of the top 100

Katie Boulter is hoping to produce some Leicester City type magic when she takes on 18th seed Naomi Osaka in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Foxes fan won her first grand slam match against Veronica Cepede Royg on Tuesday to continue the rapid improvement that has carried her to the verge of the top 100.

Twenty-year-old Osaka will be a big step up but Boulter is feeling very confident about her tennis and will try to draw on Leicester's remarkable Premier League title glory in 2016 to cause an upset.

She said: "When Leicester won the Premier League I feel like everyone had a massive lift in the city, and I feel like I was one of those people. It was a little bit of magic and hopefully I can do something out there tomorrow. I have had some lovely messages from a lot of people from Leicester. I'm always proud to support the Foxes."

If Boulter is to even threaten a shock she must change the pattern from her previous clash with Osaka, the most exciting young talent in the women's game, in Birmingham last month, when she managed just three games.

Boulter was pleased to have had that experience, saying: "It was really good, and it set me up nicely for playing in Southsea (where she reached the final). I think it's going to be a challenge and I'm looking forward to it. I'll try and play my game and bring a lot of energy to the court."

Boulter is one of three British players left in singles after Katie Swan was beaten 6-0 6-3 by 29th seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.

Katie Swan was knocked out in the second round (Getty)

The pair are two of a highly promising crop of young British women, with Boulter leading the way.

Swan said: "She's been doing so well and I think a lot of the British girls have, so it's great to see. And we are all pushing each other and everyone wants to keep getting better. I think we're all going to start seeing each other at these bigger tournaments. That's pretty exciting."

Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta have loftier expectations these days and both will hope to reach round three, Edmund for the first time.

He takes on American qualifier Bradley Klahn while Konta faces a potentially tricky clash with former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova, with both matches on Centre Court.

Dominika Cibulkova is up next for Johanna Konta (Getty)

Caroline Wozniacki was the big casualty on Wednesday, the second seed losing to Ekaterina Makarova. But Serena Williams and Roger Federer looked in ominous form as they eased through to round three.

Rafael Nadal opens proceedings on Centre on Thursday against Mikhail Kukushkin while Simona Halep, Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev are given Court One billing.