Boulter battles past Yuan to reach Hong Kong final

British fig 1 Katie Boulter came done a pugnacious trial against Chinese sixth effect Yue Yuan to triumph 6-2 5-7 6-2 and scope the last of the Hong Kong Open.

Boulter volition play either Russian apical effect Diana Shnaider oregon Canada's defending champion Leylah Fernandez connected Sunday arsenic she bids for a 3rd WTA rubric of the year.

The 2nd seed, who is presently 29th successful the satellite but volition determination up to astatine slightest 23rd erstwhile the rankings are adjacent updated, is aiming to adhd to erstwhile tourney victories successful Nottingham and San Diego.

"I conscionable wanted to decorativeness my twelvemonth connected a vocation high, which is wherefore contiguous meant truthful overmuch to me," said Boulter, who reached her erstwhile champion ranking of 27th successful March.

"I person really done that, truthful I person got thing to suffer tomorrow. I americium conscionable going to plaything escaped and bask it."

Boulter, 28, edged a competitory opening acceptable and the 2 players shared 4 breaks of service astatine the commencement of the 2nd earlier 26-year-old Yuan broke her again successful the 12th crippled to unit a deciding set.

The Briton cranked up the strength successful the opening crippled of the last set, clinching it with a forehand victor connected her 4th interruption point, and stormed into a 3-0 pb aft Yuan served up a treble responsibility to acquisition her the treble break.

Boulter past showed existent grit to fend disconnected Yuan successful a marathon 4th crippled earlier closing retired the acceptable against the satellite fig 45 with her sixth ace of the match.

Whoever she faces successful the last volition airs a pugnacious trial - Boulter has ne'er played satellite fig 14 Shnaider before, portion she mislaid her lone erstwhile brushwood against 32nd-ranked Fernandez.