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Britain’s Katie Boulter landed her first WTA 500 title in San Diego on Sunday, and leaps to No 27 in the world rankings as a result.
I can’t stop smiling. I’ve been wanting this my whole career and now I’ve got to move my goalposts and keep it going. Katie Boulter
Boulter held off Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine, 5-7 6-2 6-2, to claim the Cymbiotika San Diego Open trophy after a 2 hour and 13 minute battle that saw the British No 1 power past the 6th seed in their first meeting.
“I don’t even know where to begin, I’m so happy,” said Boulter. “When I came here, I really didn’t think I would be holding this trophy. Everyone here has been so warm and welcoming to me.
“I don’t know what just happened. This week has been very, very special for so many different reasons. This one is pretty amazing, I’ve worked very hard for it, I played some incredible tennis all week.
“Today was a complete battle, with myself as well, because I was a little bit nervous. But I managed to get over the line, and that I’m very proud of.
“A lot of it was about me staying as tough as I possibly could, mentally, and I managed to keep my cool and actually, kind of, went within myself and calmed myself down a lot. I think that really helped me, and then I started to relax and play through shots a little bit more.”
Last April, Boulter, whose her career had been marked by a succession of injury breaks up until that point, was ranked 154 but she came through on home soil in June, winning her first WTA 250 title on the grass of Nottingham and returning to the Top 100.
She then reached the 3rd-round of the US Open, and cracked the Top 50, a string of success that led her to receiving a nomination for Most Improved Player in 2023.
Runner up Marta Kostyuk (l) and winner Katie Boulter pose with their trophies after the final
© Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Coming into San Diego, Boulter was ranked 49 and produced an impressive run, beating all 5 opponents ranked higher than her to become the lowest-ranked player to win a WTA 500 title since 2021.
Her triumph came after ATP World No 9 Alex de Minaur had downed Casper Ruud on Saturday night to claim the Mexican Open title in Acapulco for a second straight year.
After his win, the Aussie said he was planning to forgo the post-tournament party to be court-side to watch Boulter’s final.
“I want to say a small special thank you to my boyfriend,” Boulter said in her victory speech. “He finished last night at midnight. And I really want to embarrass him, so he got a 4.15 taxi and a 6 o’clock flight to be here today, so I do appreciate it.”
As darkness fell early in the trophy match, which was twice delayed by intermittent showers, both players appeared to struggle while adjusting to the unseasonably cool, windy and drizzly conditions with temperatures in the mid-50s.
After an even start, Kostyuk began to get the better of Boulter, stringing multiple games together and rapidly closing in on the opening set, but the Brit fought back, charging from 2-5 down to 5-5, and saving 5 set points on the way.
The Ukrainian, though, blasted her way to a hold for 6-5, and when Boulter coughed up her 6th double-fault on Kostyuk’s 7th set point, she wrapped up the first set.
Katie Boulter also won a surfboard for her efforts in San Diego
© Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Boulter then found her groove, and dominated the second, cracking a forehand winner down the line to lead 3-1, and then broke Kostyuk for a 3rd time to lead 5-2, before she routinely served out the set and levelled the match, winning 60% of points on return.
The 27-year-old kept her momentum up in the decider, breaking Kostyuk for a 2-1 lead, and then slamming a return winner to break again for 5-2.
Boulter fired her first 2 aces of the day in the next game en route to the victory, and, all told, converted 7 of her 11 break points in the final, while she also saved 7 of the 11 break points she faced.
“I can’t stop smiling,” Boulter said after going 6-1 against seeded opponents this year. “I’ve been wanting this my whole career and now I’ve got to move my goalposts and keep it going.”
Boulter is the second Brit to capture a WTA 500 title, joining former World No 4 Johanna Konta, who hoisted WTA 500 trophies at 2016 Stanford and 2017 Sydney.
Referring to her 21-year-old opponent, Boulter added: “You’re so young and so talented, Marta. I know your time will come.”
Kostyuk paid tribute to her family in Ukraine after the match, saying: “I don’t want to make this too sad, but first of all, I want to say hello to my family back in Ukraine. It’s been a difficult time for them and I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but there’s no one who wants me to win more than they do.”
Boulder, who said the cool conditions made her feel at home, was awarded a ceremonial surfboard, a nod to the event’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
“Sorry I didn’t get the surfboard this year,” Kostyuk added. “But maybe I’ll get one next year.”
(L-R) Doubles champions Ellen Perez & Nicole Melichar-Martinez defeated Jessica Pegula & Desirae Krawczyk in the San Diego Open final on Sunday
© Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
In the doubles final, American Nicole Melichar-Martinez & Ellen Perez of Australia, the No 3 seeds, won the Cymbiotika San Diego Open doubles title with a 6-1 6-2 victory over the No 1 seeds Desirae Krawczyk & Jessica Pegula, both from the USA, on Sunday.
Melichar-Martinez & Perez needed just 58 minutes to dispatch the top seeds and win their second title as a partnership.
Their previous team title came at 2022 Cleveland, and, overall, Melichar-Martinez has won 13 WTA doubles titles, and Perez has won 6.
The victors won nearly 80% of their first-service points on Sunday, while also capturing 68% of points when returning the No 1 seeds’ second serves.
Melichar-Martinez & Perez converted 5 of their 13 break points, and dropped serve only once.
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