What a week for Katie Boulter in Nottingham! The Briton won the WTA 250 title in England, in front of her crowd, on the same day as her boyfriend Alex De Minaur won her title at the s-Hertogenbosch Open. A combination that occurred for the second time, in 2024.
The rain put a strain on the players competing at the Rothesay Open. Just think of the fact that the protagonists of the final stages of the tournament had to face a double match on Sunday, between the semi-final and the final. Boulter first beat her coutnrywoman Emma Raducanu and then defended the title by overcoming Karolina Pliskova in the final with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
At the on court inerview, Katie analyzed the challenge, thanking her team who helped her in the switch from clay to grass-courts and, finally, praising her rival Pliskova.
“It’s been an incredible week for me. Mentally tough after a clay season. Huge thanks to my team. I can’t have had an easy time swinging between the two surfaces. They are incredible. I wouldn’t be here without them. This is a bit of Deja vu. I’m not entirely sure if I’m dreaming or if it just happened. This place will always have a special place in my heart. But I’ll try to talk as much as possible possible. Today was brutal. Congratulations to your entire team Karolina. You played an amazing week. I’m super happy for you. You are so hard to beat. Today was my day day you beat me. I’m really happy with how these years have gone so far. I’ve worked really hard with my team,” she told.
On the victory at the same time as De Minaur, she said – making fun of her boyfriend for not going to see Boulter’s final and threatening to leave him – : “We will have to talk about it tonight and see if we will still be together! I hope he listens to him because we have something to talk about. My boyfriend didn’t come on the trip, although I thought he might after his win in s-Hertogenbosch!”
Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter winning titles on the same weekend for the 2nd time this year.
So Barbie and Ken coded 💖 pic.twitter.com/4mLo4IZNmK
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 16, 2024
Pliskova, analyzing the defeat against Bouler in the same on-court interview, explained: “It’s difficult to play two high-quality matches in one day. I think we all did quite well. I enjoyed my stay here. I will try to come back I want to thank my team, my husband, the physiotherapist and the coach. I know it’s not easy on me! It’s a great start to the grass season. Hopefully I can do well at Wimbledon I liked getting the win today. But Katie deserved to win. It was a tough week and I’m happy with the tennis I played in the final.”
Boulter d. Karolina Pliskova 4-6 6-3 6-2
Katie becomes the 1st British woman to defend the Nottingham title.
5 sets in one day.
Her rise has been so special to watch this year.
✅3rd career title
✅2nd title of 2024Big day for her.
Big day for British tennis.
🇬🇧❤️ pic.twitter.com/iai5is717f
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 16, 2024