Boulter wins Nottingham Open while De Minaur lifts Libema Open title

• Katie Boulter won to matches in one day to lift the Nottingham Open title
• She beat Emma Raducanu before taking down Karolina Pliskova in the final
• Alex de Minaur found success at the Libema Open on a dream weekend for them 

Katie Boulter sent herself into dreamland and boyfriend Alex de Minaur into the doghouse after she defended her Rothesay Open title on an exhausting day in Nottingham.

Around six hours earlier De Minaur had won the trophy in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in Holland. It is the second time in an incredible year for tennis’s latest power couple that both won a title on the same day. 

But unlike on the previous occasion in March, when De Minaur made a mad dash from Acapulco to San Diego to watch Boulter’s big moment, there was no sign of the 25-year-old Aussie courtside.

‘My boyfriend didn’t make the trip even though I thought he might after his win in Hertogenbosch so we will have to be talking about that tonight and see if we are still together,’ said Boulter. ‘I hope he is listening to this, we have got some talking to do!’

When Boulter took to the court in Nottingham yesterday, the odds were stacked against her joining her boyfriend in the winner’s circle.

First, she had to win two sets in a row to beat countrywoman Emma Raducanu. Amid some rotten weather their semi-final was held over from Saturday night, with Raducanu having taken the first set.

But in warmer conditions which suited Boulter better – the sun having made its first visit of the week to the Nottingham Tennis Centre – she rounded out a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory. 

That match took three hours and 13 minutes all told across the two days and Boulter had only a couple of hours to recover before coming out to face the imposing figure of Pliskova.

The 6ft 1in Czech is 32 now and not the force she once was but plays wonderfully well on grass with her knifing serve and effortless power off the ground. She will be a horrifying first-round draw for a big name at Wimbledon if she remains outside the seeding places.

Rallies were few and far between in this meeting of two players who possess huge weapons and tend to shoot first and ask questions later.

And given both looked to be struggling physically after the exertions of earlier – Pliskova also had to play her semi-final in the morning, beating France’s Dianne Parry – they were more incentivised that usual to keep the rallies short and sweet.

Boulter had the better of the first set but from 15-0 up at 4-4 she lost 12 of the next 14 points to lose the set. It was quite the collapse and she double over – whether in frustration or exhaustion or both was difficult to divine.

But she came on strong as Pliskova – with right thigh strapped – began to wilt and, with a cry of ‘Come on Katie, I want to watch the football!’ from the crowd, she brought it home at 7.40pm, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

In so doing the 27-year-old proved that, as well as the God-given natural power which has never been in doubt, she has added physical robustness and mental fortitude.

With that package Boulter is a force to be reckoned with indeed, and looks a decent bet to rise beyond her current world rank of 30. She remains unbeaten in her three tour-level finals so far after defending her Nottingham crown. 

‘This is a little bit of deja vu,’ she said. ‘I’m not entirely sure if I am dreaming or this really happened. It is incredible to be here, it’s got a special place in my heart, it always will. It’s been an incredible week for me, mentally tough after a really hard clay court season. 

‘Today was brutal. Today was my day.’

Along with Jack Draper’s maiden title in Stuttgart, the first week of the grass court season could not have gone much better for the home contingent.