Boulter beats Raducanu and Pliskova to keep Nottingham title
Katie Boulter retains the Nottingham Open title after coming from a set down to beat Karolina Pliskova.
Katie Boulter retains the Nottingham Open title after coming from a set down to beat Karolina Pliskova.
In March, Alex de Minaur won the Acapulco title before bolting to San Diego to see his girlfriend, Katie Boulter, win a WTA trophy the next day in San Diego. On Sunday, the tennis power couple one-upped themselves by claiming two crowns on the same day.
First, top seed De Minaur won his second grass-court tour-level title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, beating Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-4 in the final. A few hours later, Boulter followed suit by beating Karolina Pliskova 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Nottingham trophy match. The third seed pulled double duty on Sunday, wrapping up a three-set semi-final win against fellow Briton Emma Raducanu earlier in the day.
“How did that happen again … You are a joke!” De Minaur wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
How did that happen again 🤯🤯🤯🤯 @katiecboulter You are a joke!!! #doubletrouble
— alex de minaur (@alexdeminaur) June 16, 2024
De Minaur’s victory moved him up to No. 7 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting him up for a career high, while Boulter will remain just outside the WTA’s Top 30 thanks to her successful title defence. Both players will be in action in Great Britain next week, with De Minaur at The Queen’s Club and Boulter in Birmingham.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Watch highlights as Great Britain’s Katie Boulter defends her title at the Nottingham Open as she beats Karolina Pliskova 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the final.
Andy Murray says he would prefer to retire at Wimbledon or the Paris Olympics as his tennis career draws towards an end.
Nuno Borges is out to notch a grass-court milestone on Day 1 at the Terra Wortmann Open.
The No. 48 in the PIF ATP Rankings has arrived at the ATP 500 seeking his maiden tour-level match win on the surface. He could have been disheartened when he promptly drew World No. 5 and former Halle finalist Daniil Medvedev in the opening round, but Borges has plenty of reason to believe he can spring an upset on Monday afternoon at OWL Arena.
“I think it is everybody’s least-played surface, so I guess everybody’s a little bit on the same foot with it,” Borges told ATPTour.com on Sunday in Halle when asked about how top players adapt to the grass. “Even though [Medvedev] has been on the Tour for more years and played at the highest level for longer. I’ll use everything I can, and if that’s a good reason to hang on to any hope I’ll use it.”
[ATP APP]Borges has claimed a personal-best 13 tour-level wins this season, three of which came at January’s Australian Open. In the fourth round, the Portuguese put on an impressive display in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Medvedev, who is a two-time finalist at the Melbourne major and who ultimately overcame Borges in four sets on Rod Laver Arena.
“It was amazing,” reflected Borges, who had upset then-World No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov in the second round in Australia. “Playing on the centre court at a Slam is incredible and I believe it was the only match I played on a centre court. It was my first time on such a big court and against such a big player with a history of being so good on hard courts and who made the final, not only this year, but [in 2022 too].
“It was nice to play such a big match, just because I knew the pressure wasn’t on my side and I was already on such a high from everything that was going on in the tournament. So I think I really was able to play my best and I believe since then I’ve improved a little bit. Not that the result will be different [here in Halle], but again just focusing on improving my game.”
So will Borges take lessons from his Melbourne defeat to Medvedev onto the Halle grass? The 27-year-old, who has only previously contested three tour-level matches on grass, is keen not to get too hung up on the past as he chases the biggest win of his career by PIF ATP Ranking.
“It’s a totally different surface, different game,” said Borges. “I’m expecting a different match overall, but at the same time, I feel comfortable here. It’ll be my first match this year on grass, but I do feel good here, and I enjoy it, so I put no limitations on the result. I will go for it.”
The Terra Wortmann Open, which takes place in leafy green countryside on the outskirts of the small German town of Halle-Westfalen, offers players the chance to stay in an on-site hotel right next to the main stadium. Event debutant Borges has settled in quickly to his new surroundings, and hopes that will help him find his best level in his opening match against Medvedev.
“It’s amazing. I think for us players, it is great,” said Borges. “We’ve got the gym right there, the hotel right there. Literally walk off and you got the courts. It is really nice, and then being grass, it just looks a little more beautiful than any other tournament, I’d say.
“It is a special time of the year, so I’m enjoying it. I’m trying to live the dream a little bit. It’s a big tournament, playing against a Top 10 opponent right away. I’m just really going to try to do my best and enjoy it as much as I can.”
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Katie Boulter beats Emma Raducanu to reach Nottingham Open final
It was “third time lucky” for Jack Draper on Sunday, when he won his first ATP Tour title in his third tour-level final. The 22-year-old beat Matteo Berrettini to triumph at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart, a result that also set him up for a debut as British No. 1 and a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 30.
The sixth seed’s 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory against two-time Stuttgart champ Berrettini provided the perfect start to his grass-court campaign. Draper will next bid to carry that momentum forward to home events on the lawns of The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon — the latter of which he will likely be seeded at thanks to his rise in the PIF ATP Rankings.
ATPTour.com caught up with Draper to discuss his title breakthrough, those who helped him reach that milestone, and more.
What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title?
Honestly it means the world to me. I’ve been working for this moment for a very long time. Lots of ups and downs, lots of injuries, lots of setbacks. To come through today and win, and the way I’ve been playing, I’m really, really proud of myself. Hopefully it’s a testament to all my hard work and I can keep going.
How did your previous ATP Tour finals in Sofia and Adelaide help you today?
I don’t know. I think third time lucky, really. In those matches I think I was a little defensive and allowed them to win the match. Today against Matteo I had to be aggressive, I had to win the game on my own terms. I think the experiences of losing a lot of matches where the opponent has taken it from me, I think that helped me a lot.
Not only did you win the title, but you’re now the British No. 1. How special is that for you?
I’ve never thought of it really in the last few years. But it’s obviously a huge honour for me. I want to be a Top 20, Top 10 player and win big titles. If there’s someone ahead of me or not, they’re obviously doing a great job too. But if I am to be British No. 1, I’m obviously incredibly proud of that and incredibly honoured to be in that position, and hopefully I can carry the flag forward.
You have had some great moments early in your career and also pushed through adversity when necessary. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in these past few years?
I think just to keep at it, keep going, keep present. I’ve had a lot of tough moments but I’ve always tried to stay strong. I think it shows my love for tennis and the amazing people I have around me to push me to keep on persevering and keep on moving forward. I think those moments have made me stronger and made me a better person and a better player.
Growing up you always had your brother Ben, who played college tennis, to look up to. How important was that and do any memories of your childhood growing up together stick out?
My brother’s an amazing boy. He’s one of my best friends. We used to argue a lot when we were younger when we used to compete against each other in any different sport. I actually remember him beating me in an ITF Grade 5, 6-4, 6-2. I really thought that I was going to win the match because it was supposed to be on an outdoor, wet clay court. And obviously, in London, it rained, and we went on indoor slick fast courts. I was 5-foot-6 and he was 6-foot-4. I think the gods came together that day and didn’t let me take the win from him. He’s an amazing big brother and I look up to him so much.
Could you take a moment to acknowledge some of the other key figures in your life and career who have helped you to reach this milestone?
No. 1 is my mom, Nicky. She’s my rock, she’s everything to me. She’s been through thick and thin with me. She’s had to deal with a lot of ups and downs and lots of roller coasters, being the way I am. I think any parent who’s in sport, they obviously know how tough it is. Also my grandparents, my nana, who’s had dementia for 10 years. She was a key part of my tennis growing up and the one who introduced tennis to me when I was young.
I’d also say I’ve had three coaches in my time. First off Justin Sherring, my coach for 10 years. Secondly, Ryan Jones, my coach of four or five years. And currently James Trotman, who I’ve been with for three years now, and we’ve just added Wayne Ferreira on board as well. All of those people, they’ve taught me so much. They’ve been all about me becoming a better person and a better player. So I owe everything to them and all their perseverance and everything they’ve given me.
[ATP APP]What is your newest off-court hobby and what do you like about it?
I suppose I live in London now, I’m able to go out and explore the city and just take my mind off tennis when I’m not on court. I like being with my dog, I like just doing normal things. I’m a normal 22-year-old guy.
What’s the most interesting thing people might not know about you?
Just that I’m pretty normal, to be honest. I think people think that being an athlete, being a tennis player, being a sportsperson, that you’re very different. I’m all about values and family time and just hard work. I suppose there’s nothing major that’s interesting to know about me apart from the fact that I’m just a normal guy doing what I love.
This is a big period of the season for you playing at home on a surface you play well on. What will be the biggest key for you to excel for the rest of the grass season?
I think the biggest key now is just to keep my head down. Obviously there might be a lot of noise coming into Queen’s and Wimbledon, potentially Eastbourne. But I’ve just got to keep my head down, keep on listening to the people around me who are trying to help me, my team, keep on trying to do all the right things on the tennis court and off the tennis court. I think if I’m able to do that, it will give me the best chance of having a successful summer on the grass courts.
Katie Boulter remains on track to defend her Nottingham Open title after beating fellow Briton Emma Raducanu to reach the final.
Britain’s Jack Draper comes from a set down to beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini and seal a maiden ATP Tour title at the Stuttgart Open.
Jack Draper is an ATP Tour champion.
The British lefty overcame Italian Matteo Berrettini 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 on Sunday to win the BOSS OPEN title.
“It’s incredible. Just thank you so much for the support,” Draper said. “It was a really, really tough match. But I’m really happy to win my first title. It means so much to me.”
An unforgettable week for @jackdraper0 ✨@boss__open | #BOSSOPEN pic.twitter.com/AqYqujh6HN
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 16, 2024
Draper, who was competing in his third tour-level final, battled hard against Berrettini in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The sixth was two points from defeat in the second-set tie-break, but rallied to level the match and then won 89 per cent (17/19) of his first-serve points in the third set according to Infosys ATP Stats to triumph at the ATP 250 grass-court event in Stuttgart.
Draper climbed 10 spots to No. 30 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. The 22-year-old will rise to a career-high on Monday, when he will become the new British No. 1.
[ATP APP]Last season, Draper did not compete on grass at all due to a shoulder injury. The lefty dropped outside of the world’s Top 100 in August, falling as low as No. 123.
But that appears long behind him now. The 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF competitor is back to being a dangerous opponent for anyone across the net.
“I think [it is] just a lot of hard work. A lot of tough moments the last year or so,” Draper said. “It’s been up and down, but I’m really, really glad with the way I played and I think it’s a testament to the work I’ve been doing.”
Berrettini was competing in his first tournament since Monte-Carlo and trying to claim his third Stuttgart crown.
“Congrats to Jack. Unbelievable week. Unbelievable match. I was so close,” Berrettini said. “This one is going to hurt for a little bit, but that’s tennis. I’ve won matches like this, I’ve lost matches like this. I’m sure this guy is going to lift more trophies.”
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