LOS ANGELES: Britain’s Katie Boulter clinched the most significant title of her career by defeating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to secure the WTA San Diego Open championship on Sunday. This victory propels the 27-year-old, previously a winner only at Nottingham last June, into the top 30 of the world rankings for the first time. Boulter made her mark by upsetting third seed Emma Navarro of the United States in the semifinals.
Kostyuk, ranked 34th, had earlier vanquished top-seeded Jessica Pegula to advance to the final but found herself struggling against the powerful play of the Briton, particularly after surrendering the first set lead. Despite a rain delay in the final match, Boulter managed to rally back, though conceding the first set, eventually securing the victory. She capitalized on her momentum from the closely contested first set, dominating the subsequent sets with her relentless forehand winners and breaking Kostyuk’s serve multiple times.
Boulter’s tenacity paid off as she converted seven out of 11 break points and saved as many in return. Her triumph not only earned her the title but also a significant climb to 27th in the world rankings. Reflecting on her unexpected win, Boulter expressed disbelief, stating, “I really didn’t think I would be standing here with a trophy right now, I really didn’t.” Her victory was cheered on by her Australian boyfriend, Alex de Minaur, who had rushed to her support after securing an ATP title in Acapulco the day before.
