British girls’s No. 1 Katie Boulter was comprehensively crushed 6-1, 6-2 by prime seed Diana Shnaider within the Hong Kong Open ultimate on the Victoria Park Tennis Centre on Sunday.
Boulter was looking for to win her third WTA title of the 12 months however got here up brief towards her 20-year-old opponent.
“I simply need to say an enormous congratulations to Diana and her household, and her group again dwelling,” Boulter mentioned. “What an unimaginable week, what an unimaginable season — you deserve each single minute of it… You completely killed me in the present day however I am going to get you subsequent time!”
Regardless of the defeat, the positive kind Boulter has confirmed in Asia — she additionally reached the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo final week — has seen her break into the highest 25 on the planet rankings for the primary time in her profession.
The Brit was no match for Shnaider within the opening phases of the match because the Russian left-hander raced right into a 5-0 lead that she finally transformed when Boulter made her tenth unforced error of the set.
Boulter persistently struggled along with her service recreation all through the match, making twice as many double faults (4) as aces (2) and profitable simply 50% of first serve factors.
Shnaider made equally mild work of the second set, providing Boulter no method again right into a contest with a succession of eye-catching forehand winners up the road.
The Russian’s triumph was her fourth WTA title and fourth top-level crown of the 12 months, having already received the Unhealthy Homburg Open, Hua Hin Championships and Budapest Grand Prix.
“It feels superb, truthfully. I hope it would preserve going like this each season,” Shnaider mentioned. “I’ll do my greatest and work as arduous as I can. I am very comfortable.
“It is my final event of the season and to complete it right here with a trophy on this loopy ambiance with this help. It is so memorable.”
