Last September in Ningbo, China, Diana Shnaider and Katie Boulter practiced together for the very first time. First impressions were mutually very positive, impressed by each other's game and work ethic.
Fourteen months on, they are the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2024 top two seeds, ready to do battle in Sunday's final. This will be their first meeting on tour.
Hong Kong: Scores | Order of Play | Draws
Shnaider has accomplished the extraordinary feat of three different WTA titles this season on three different surfaces. Boulter has been champion too in San Diego and Nottingham. Two of the season's brightest stars have the chance to toast their campaign with one last trophy lift.
"It's so nice that we get the No.1 and No.2 seed against each other in the final, it's not very often you see this," stated World No.14 Shnaider, having outplayed defending champion Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals. "It's going to be our first match playing each other. I'll just try my best and we’ll fight to the end.
"[Boulter and I] were practicing in Ningbo around this time last year. I felt very bad in that practice, she might say the opposite, but I didn't feel good and if I remember correctly, she beat me in that one.
"That's where it all started for me, I went all the way into my first final. Katie is a nice person and a very good player."
Boulter also recalls her first hit with Shnaider and knew a special talent was in the making.
"Absolutely, I could see then this level was coming," World No.29 Boulter reflected. "[Shnaider is] lovely, she's such a nice person. Even back then, when I didn't know her at all, I knew she was so hard-working. She was actually out in Asia last year on her own, she didn't have a team with her, and she was putting the miles in.
"That's when you know they're going to go places, because it's when people aren't looking makes a difference.
"I've been a huge fan ever since and I've watched Diana all year round. I've got a lot of respect for how she handles herself, it's going to be a very tough match. She's closing on the Top 10 because she's an incredible player, she's a lefty, very tricky, she knows how to put the ball in places you don't want it."
Shnaider admits she has been surprised by the trophy-laden success of her season, but has one more target to tick off in Hong Kong.
"When I won my first title in Thailand [in February] this year, I just made another goal to win another title," added 20-year-old Shnaider.
"I've definitely achieved more this year than I was expecting," Shnaider continued. "It's a nice feeling.
"My family have flown here to support me. It would be the first time they've all been at the courts in a final, so it would mean a lot to me. It's a goal and achievement I want. I hope their support and energy can help in my game."
Boulter, who booked her third final of 2024 with an epic 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 result against Yuan Yue, is projected to reach a new career-high ranking after a semifinal run in Tokyo provided the platform for a memorable week in Causeway Bay.
"For me, I want to be remembered for titles," said British No.1 Boulter. "I don't want to be remembered for the odd match I won here and there. I want to be that person with numbers and figures by their name.
"I raised my level really well in the last two finals. It's going to be really interesting, I've got nothing to lose. I'm playing a great player out there so I'm just trying to do the best that I can."
Meanwhile, in the doubles ranks, the Japanese duo of Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi stunned top seeds Cristina Bucsa and Miyu Kato in a dramatic 6-7(2), 6-4, [14-12] comeback on Saturday. Can the No.4 seeds do it again? They face No.3 seeds Ulrikke Eikeri and Makoto Ninomiya for the trophy on Sunday afternoon.
