Nottingham Open 2023: Andy Murray, Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart & Jodie Burrage all reach quarter-finals

2023-06-15 19:05:28

Venue: Nottingham Tennis Centre Dates: 12-18 June
Coverage: Live coverage daily on the BBC Red Button, BBC Sport website & app

Andy Murray reached the Nottingham Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 7-5 victory over France’s Hugo Grenier to cap a record-breaking day for British tennis.

Murray’s win came following Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage joined Heather Watson in the women’s last eight – the first time four British women have reached the quarter-finals of the same WTA Tour event.

Burrage’s 7-5 6-3 victory over world number 21 and Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette was arguably the standout result.

“When we are all doing well it really pushes everyone on,” said world number 131 Burrage. “It is a bit daunting going on following the other two [Boulter and Dart] won, it was a little bit of pressure.

“But in the same breath it did help as well, but when you’re out on court you’re just wanting to win.”

In her first WTA quarter-final, the 24-year-old will face Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the opening match on Centre Court at 11:00 BST on Friday.

Boulter and Dart will play each other in an all-British quarter-final in the following match, ensuring there will be at least one home player in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Watson, who booked her quarter-final spot on Wednesday, takes on Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the third match on Centre.

‘Good friends’ Boulter and Dart set for all-British quarter-final

New British number one Boulter came through a tricky encounter with Ukrainian lucky loser Daria Snigur in straight sets to reach her third quarter-final at the Nottingham tournament.

Boulter, ranked 126 in the world following reaching the semi-finals of the Surbiton Trophy last week, beat 21-year-old Snigur 7-5 6-3.

Boulter squandered seven break points in the first set but was persistent and went on to capitalise on Snigur’s hampered movement, due to a knee injury she received treatment for midway through the second set.

“It was an absolute battle, I’m really proud of myself,” said Boulter.

“I put my heart on the line and played as well as I might. A couple of those games were ridiculous. It was so tough.”

Dart secured a 6-0 7-5 win over Ukrainian fifth seed Anhelina Kalinina to ensure her spot in the last eight.

The 26-year-old dominated the first set and did not drop a single game as Kalinina, number 25 in the world, struggled to get going.

But following Dart received treatment to what seemed like a lower-back strain, she was made to work for the second, going a break down but battling back to secure a late break of her own and progress.

“I hope to play more sets like that [first set],” said Dart. “I knew I had to come out firing – I’m just really pleased to be able to come through in two sets.

“We’re [she and Boulter] good friends but let the better player win tomorrow!”

Murray praises ‘brilliant’ British results

Murray, having claimed his first title on home soil since Wimbledon in 2016 with his win at Surbiton last week, secured an early break to take control of the first set once morest Grenier.

The Frenchman came out firing in the second but the Scot rallied with a hold to love to draw level at 5-5 before following up with a break and then serving out the match to secure a straight-set win.

He is ranked 44th in the world and trying to secure a top-32 seeding for Wimbledon, which begins on 3 July.

“It’s been a lot of matches for me,” said Murray. “I’m an old boy now so it takes me a bit longer to recover but I’m feeling good.”

Murray joins fellow Briton George Loffhagen in Friday’s quarter-finals and said it was exciting to see so many home players having success at the tournament.

“It’s brilliant, especially for the women, they’ve done well this week. A lot of them have had injury problems but they’ve all started the grass-court season well. Let’s keep it going into the weekend.”

Anther Briton, Ryan Peniston, ranked 201 in the world, lost 6-4 6-2 to Switzerland’s number eight seed Dominic Stricker – who Murray will now face not before 16:00 BST on Friday.

Doubles success for Brits

In the men’s doubles, British duo Liam Broady and Jonny O’Mara secured a comfortable 6-1 6-4 win over India’s Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni to reach the semi-finals.

Joining them in the last four are fellow Britons Jacob Fearnley and Johannus Mondaywho beat Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth 7-6 (7-4) 6-3, and the British pairs might meet in the title match should they both win their semi-finals.

In the women’s doubles, British pair Watson and Dart beat Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and Japan’s Makoto Ninomiya 6-4 7-6 (9-7) as they prepare for their respective quarter-finals on Friday.

Meanwhile in the Libema Open in the Netherlands, Britain’s Neal Skupski and Dutch team-mate Wesley Koolhof moved into the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles.

The top-seeded pairing, who lost in the US Open final last year, overcame American duo Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow in a final-set tie break 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (5-7) 10-3.

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