Katie Boulter ’embarrasses’ boyfriend Alex de Minaur for what he did before she won San Diego Open title

British tennis star Katie Boulter has achieved the biggest win of her career by claiming the San Diego Open title on Sunday. She defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, to secure her first WTA 500 trophy and break into the world’s top 30.

Boulter, who is ranked 49th in the world, showed remarkable resilience and determination throughout the tournament. She beat five top-40 opponents, including former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and Olympic silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova.

In the final, Boulter faced a tough challenge from the sixth-seeded Kostyuk, who took the first set with a barrage of winners. However, Boulter fought back and dominated the next two sets with her powerful forehand and solid baseline game.

Boulter’s victory was witnessed by her boyfriend, Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur, who had flown across from Mexico to support her. De Minaur had won the ATP title in Acapulco the day before, making them one of the rare tennis power couples to win their respective titles on the same weekend.

Boulter took the opportunity to thank de Minaur in her post-match speech, but also to “embarrass him a little bit”. She said, "He got a 4.15am taxi to come here and support me. I’m very grateful for that. He’s been amazing this week."

Boulter’s triumph in San Diego is the biggest achievement by a British woman since Emma Raducanu’s stunning US Open win last year. It also confirms her position as one of the most in-form players on the WTA Tour this season. She had previously won her maiden WTA title in Nottingham last June.

Boulter’s rise is even more impressive considering that she had suffered a serious back injury in 2019, which sidelined her for several months and dropped her ranking to 349th. She has since worked hard to recover and regain her form, and her efforts have paid off.

Boulter’s next challenge will be the Indian Wells tournament, where she will face American wildcard Claire Liu in the first round. She will also team up with de Minaur in the mixed doubles event.

Boulter’s success in San Diego is a testament to her talent, perseverance, and hard work. She has also shown that she has a supportive partner in de Minaur, who shares her passion and ambition for tennis. Together, they are a formidable duo on and off the court. ??