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Katie Boulter powers into San Diego semi-finals with straight sets win over Donna Vekic
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Published 02/03/2024 at 00:11 GMT
Katie Boulter continued her dream run in the San Diego Open as she powered past seventh seed Donna Vekic in straight sets in the quarter-finals. The British No. 1 fought back from a break down in the first set and needed just over an hour and a half to book her place in her first WTA semi-final, where she will face either Daria Saville or third seed Emma Navarro.
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Katie Boulter is into her first WTA semi-final after beating seventh-seed Donna Vekic 6-3 6-4 at the San Diego Open.
The British No. 1 recovered from a break down in the first set and then again after being broken when serving for the match to set up a last-four clash with either Daria Saville or third seed Emma Navarro as she chases a maiden WTA title.
It is the first time in her career Boulter has beaten multiple players ranked inside the top 50 in a tournament following her earlier victories over Lesia Tsurenko and Beatriz Haddad Maia.
But it was her quarter-final opponent who started the stronger. Vekic failed to convert a break point for a 2-0 lead but made it count on Boulter’s second service game of the match to move 3-1 ahead.
Boulter responded immediately to break back before coming from 0-40 down to restore parity at 3-3.
Vekic steadied the ship to move 4-3 clear before Boulter ran off three consecutive games to clinch a hard-fought opening set that lasted nearly an hour.
And Boulter carried that momentum into the second, storming into a 4-0 lead after breaking twice to make it seven games in a row.
Serving for the match at 5-2, the 27-year-old faltered with the winning line in sight to offer her opponent a lifeline, but she quickly made amends.
After forcing 30-40 on the Vekic serve, Boulter wrapped up a momentous victory at the first time of asking at the end of an epic 24-shot rally.
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