Bid for Boulter's hat-trick ends in Nottingham, pushing away the win opportunity.
Nottin' Pony's Dream Run in Nottingham Halts with Kessler's Conquer
Looks like Katie Boulter's dream of a three-peat in the Nottingham WTA 250 event went up in flames, as she fell to American underdog McCartney Kessler in a nail-biter 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 showdown.
Some might say eighth seed Boulter had the ace up her sleeve early in the decisive set, securing a service break, but Kessler frankly devastated the court to storm back and secure her spot in the semi-finals.
Remember when Boulter took the top spot as Britain’s number one back in 2023 after snagging the Nottingham title? Well, she held on to that spot until this week, when Emma Raducanu pulled a fast one to unseat her. But with her loss to Kessler, who knows if she'll be able to reclaim her throne.
It’s safe to say that Kessler’s making a name for herself on the grass court, having notched her first main draw Tour-level win on these greener pastures last week at Queen's. With her sights set on a title, she’ll face either Slovakian capitalizer Rebecca Sramkova or Czech puncher Linda Noskova in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Saturday's semis will feature a rematch of Ukrainian warrior Dayana Yastremska taking on feisty Polish player Magda Linette.
Yastremska threw a slew of aces at Canada’s fifth seed Leylah Fernandez to win 6-3, 7-6(6), while Linette put the hurt on Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-5, earning herself not just a ticket to the semi-finals, but a career-first on grass.
With the backing of her fans, Kessler's honing her skills on these blades of grass, looking to grab the title in this tournament. If there's one thing we can say for sure, it's that the semis are sure to be heated battles between these contenders vying for glory in Nottingham.
[1] Nottingham Open 2023 (WTA 250): McCartney Kessler conquers Dayana Yastremska to claim first grass-court Tour title[2] McCartney Kessler's Journey to Success: From HSBC Championships to Nottingham Open[3] Nottingham Open 2023: McCartney Kessler Takes Down Katie Boulter to Advance to Semi-Finals
McCartney Kessler, having found success on the grass courts with her first main draw Tour-level win last week at Queen's, is now challenging for the title in Nottingham's WTA 250 event, showcasing her dominance in the sport of tennis. In her quest for victory, she will face either Rebecca Sramkova or Linda Noskova in the semi-finals, as she continues to advance in the tournament.
