By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, June 18, 2023
In the first all-British WTA final in 46 years, Katie Boulter beat Jodie Burrage 6-3, 6-3 to win her maiden title before home fans on the grass of Nottingham.
Photo credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty
Lawn tennis is a launching pad—Katie Boulter continues the best climb of her career.
In the first all-British WTA final in 46 years, Boulter beat Jodie Burrage 6-3, 6-3 to claim her maiden championship before supportive home fans on the grass of Nottingham.
It was a historic battle of the Brits marking just the third all-British final in the 50 years of the WTA Tour.
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This was the first all-British WTA final staged on British soil and first all-Brit battle since Sue Barker and Virginia Wade faced off in the 1977 San Francisco final.
A week that began with Boulter supplanting 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu as new British No. 1 ended with her emotional career breakthrough.
When Burrage's final return sailed long, Boulter bounced on the grass and thrust her arms in triumph.
Then Boulter shed tears of joy thanking her family and team for their support realizing a moment that was years in the making.
"I dreamt of this moment at this tournament since I was a little girl," Boulter said. "There was training here when I was four or five years old, coming here as a fan and also now as a player, dreaming big and somehow found a way to win it today. It means more than everything to me."
Wild card Boulter completed a dream week run that saw her defeat four compatriots—Emily Appleton, Harriet Dart, Heather Watson, and Burrage—as well as Ukrainian lucky loser Daria Snigur without surrendering a set.
The victory vaults Boulter, who arrived in Nottingham ranked No. 126, 59 spots to a new career-high ranking of No. 77 in the live rankings.
Boulter burst out to a 5-1 first-set lead and seized a 4-1 second-set lead en route to her maiden title run.
This championship comes a year after Boulter toppled 2021 Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 surging into the third round of The Championships for the first time last June.
At the time, the Wimbledon win was Boulter's biggest career victory tinged. That win came two days after the passing of Boulter's beloved grandmother, Jill.
“I'm literally shaking—the crowd was unbelievable so thank you for getting me through that,” Boulter told Centre Court fans last June. “I'm gonna get emotional. My gran passed two days ago and I'd just like to dedicate that to her today.”
There was barely a dry eye in the house as Boulter spoke then.
Today, her entire box was beaming with pride.