British number one Katie Boulter comes from set down to win San Diego Open
The 27-year-old beat Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 5-7 6-2 6-2 in the final at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Monday 4 March 2024 07:07, UK
British tennis ace Katie Boulter has claimed her first WTA 500 tournament victory by winning the final of the San Diego Open.
The British number one came back from a set down to beat Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 5-7 6-2 6-2 in the final.
The win means Boulter, who has had a flying start to the 2024 season, is guaranteed to break into the top 30 of the WTA rankings for the first time.
After an even start between the two, Kostyuk, the tournament's sixth seed, began to get the better of Boulter, winning the first set 7-5.
But Boulter found her groove in the second, dominating on her first serve to clinch the set 6-2 and force a deciding third set, which she also won 6-2.
The 27-year-old, from Leicestershire, was watched from the stands by her tennis star boyfriend Alex de Minaur, who scheduled an early-morning flight after retaining his title in Acapulco.
She thanked the Australian in her post-match comments.
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"I want to say a small special thank you to my boyfriend," she said.
"He finished last night at midnight, and I really want to embarrass him.
"He got on a 4.15am taxi this morning and 6am flight to be here today, so I do appreciate it."
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Boulter beat Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, second seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, seventh seed Donna Vekic, and third seed Emma Navarro on her route to the final.
The win comes after Boulter claimed her maiden championship on grass in Nottingham last summer.