"Congrats Katie Boulter for completing the doubles with Alex de Minaur": Emma Raducanu heaps praise on compatriot for winning Nottingham 2024
Emma Raducanu has congratulated compatriot Katie Boulter for her successful title defense at the 2024 Nottingham Open. The Brit also noted that Boulter's win in Nottingham coincided with her boyfriend, Alex de Minaur's, title win in 's-Hertogenbosch.
Katie Boulter faced sixth seed and former champion Karolina Pliskova in the title contest on June 16. Pliskova took the first set by breaking Boulter twice at the end. However, the Brit showed impressive grit to mount a comeback, breaking Pliskova multiple times throughout the next two sets to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.
This was Katie Boulter's third WTA Tour title, and, incredibly, it coincided with her boyfriend, Alex de Minaur's title win at the ATP 250 Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch. The Australian defeated Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-4 in the summit clash.
British tennis star Emma Raducanu, who lost to Katie Boulter in the semifinal at Nottingham, took to Instagram to reflect on her own performance at the tournament. She also congratulated Boulter on her title win and for "completing the double" with Alex de Minaur.
"Tried my best with what I had on the day, despite the result I enjoyed the battle and feel the fire again. Congrats @katiecboulter for defending your title at home, 5 sets and completing the double with Alex," Emma Raducanu wrote on Instagram.
Raducanu puts up best tour-level performance in nearly two years at Nottingham Open
Emma Raducanu was given a wildcard entry into the main draw of the WTA 250 tournament. She began her grass-court swing against Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara and secured a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win. In her second-round contest, the Brit faced Daria Snigur and made light work of the young Ukrainian, defeating her 6-2, 6-2.
Raducanu was set to face compatriot Fran Jones in a rain-affected quarterfinal, but the latter withdrew before the match could even begin. As a result, the former US Open champion qualified for her first tour-level semifinal since the 2022 Korean Open. Defending champion and third seed Katie Boulter awaited Raducanu in the semifinal.
The former World No. 10 just edged past Boulter in a lengthy first-set tiebreaker. But, the current British No. 1 showed enough composure to outlast Raducanu in the next two sets to win the contest 6-7 (13), 6-3, 6-4. Still, Raducanu put up a sow that she can be proud of and, as a result, jumped 44 spots on the WTA Ranking, from World No. 206 to World No. 165.