No.1 seed Diana Shnaider capped her breakout season on Sunday with another victory, capturing the 2024 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open title.

With a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over No.2 seed Katie Boulter, the 20-year-old clinches her fourth Hologic WTA title of the season -- an outcome made even sweeter by Shnaider’s revelation earlier this week that four is her favorite number.

"Well, I was born second of April and I just love those combinations with two and four. Obviously it’s the season of 2024," the World No.14 said. "There are crazy circumstances, like the Hua Hin [Thailand] title I won was happening for the fourth year.

"Then I won Bad Homburg and that was happening for the fourth year. The number just keeps following me. I guess it's like a lucky charm for me."

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Shnaider's fourth title puts her among familiar company. Only Iga Swiatek (five) and World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka (four) have captured more this year. Both are competing this week at the WTA Finals Riyadh. If Shnaider continues her surge next year, she could find herself right alongside them in future editions.

"It's nice to be in that company," Shnaider said. "I will definitely push harder to be on the same stage as them, to win more tournaments and at even higher categories. That's the future. This year I did an amazing job. 

"Next year, everyone will be getting ready, knowing my game, 'Oh she's tough,' stuff like that. But it's important for me to play against the best in the world. Even if there are a lot of losses, I'll be as positive as possible, just keep building my game, my mentality, my physical strength. There are a lot of things I can improve and achieve to be, say, a Top 10 player. It's not a rush, I'll have to be patient."

Shnaider, who denied Leylah Fernandez a title defense in the semifinals with an emphatic 6-4, 6-2 victory, replicated that standard on Sunday at Victoria Park.

An exquisite forehand lob was applauded by Boulter as it looped out of reach toward the baseline as Shnaider soared to a double-break lead. The top seed clattered a backhand down-the-line winner from out wide, while finesse on the backhand drop shot demonstrated her full shot repertoire. 

Boulter flicked a backhand half volley en route to a first game on the scoreboard after 33 minutes, prompting the British No.1 to a roar of approval from the sellout crowd.

Shnaider did not relent. At the start of the second set the 20-year-old returned a drop shot in kind and then retrieved Boulter's response with spell-binding defense. Boulter overhit her overhead long to surrender the instant break. Shnaider was giving her no time, rushing her every move. 

Boulter admitted she "emptied the tank" mentally in the semifinals and appeared to run out of resources, whereas Shnaider was in top gear, proving why she's risen from World No.97 at the start of the year into the Top 15.

"I'm so happy, so proud, the way I competed this week," Shnaider said. "It's a dream to finish the season like this with my family by my side."

It's the first title lift that all of Shnaider's family have been courtside to witness. Time now for the quartet to become tourists in Hong Kong.  

"My mum already created a plan," Shnaider said. "I have three days with them and one of my things I want to do is go to Disneyland and the Ocean Park. I have a younger brother, so I'm very excited to go and get some adrenaline. I had some adrenaline in a couple of matches here!"

Despite the defeat, Boulter is seeking a bright 2025 following two titles this season and a strong finish in Hong Kong. 

"This is great motivation for me for next year," Boulter said. "I said to my team after the Olympics that I wanted to try and push on at the end of the year. I finally found some form again on this Asia trip, like I started the year with. I think two-thirds of the season has been my best form. I've played a full calendar, my body feels good, so there are so many positives.

"There are a few things I want to go back to the drawing board with, but this is where it gets exciting. I don't think I'm playing at my very best, I have so much I can add to my game. I'm very happy, but I'm not satisfied, I've got so much further to go. I'm probably more motivated to push on than ever and this week has reminded me where my level is it."

Earlier on Centre Court, No.3 seeds Ulrikke Eikeri and Makoto Ninomiya took the doubles title with a 6-4, 4-6, [11-9] triumph over No.4 seeds Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi.

In just their third tournament competing together, the Norwegian-Japanese combination trailed 4-7 and 7-9 in the high-quality match tiebreak, before clinching their first title of the season. 

"It’s a great way to finish the year," Eikeri said. "We had a lot of close matches this week and we were able to fight really well. Today the margins were super close, we got a little bit of luck. We're just super happy to get the trophy."