KATIE BOULTER failed to take advantage of a good start as she crashed out of the Cincinnati Open in the first round.

The British number one lost nine straight games after winning the opening set against Poland’s Magda Linette, eventually going down 6-2 0-6 5-7 after a late rally.

Boulter broke in Linette’s first two service games as she eased to the first set, but the world number 43 hit back in the second set which she raced through for the loss of just eight points.

Linette broke again early in the deciding set as she opened a 3-0 lead, but Boulter hit back to level at 4-4.

She saved two match points in the 10th game of the set, but could not repeat the feat in her next service game.

Harriet Dart also lost after winning the first set as Yulia Putinseva clinched a second-round meeting with world number two Coco Gauff, winning 4-6 6-0 6-1.

Dart took the opening set 6-4, but the world number 34 from Kazakhstan saved a break point at the start of the second set and raced away to win the remaining two sets.