EMOTIONAL Katie Boulter has promised she will sleep with the Nottingham Open trophy as she fulfilled a childhood dream.
The Leicester-born star, 26, battered Jodie Burrage 6-3 6-3 in a 73-minute Nottingham Open final – just moments before torrential rain descended on the East Midlands.
It represents the biggest win of her career and this was the first all-British WTA Tour final for 46 years when Sue Barker beat Virginia Wade in San Francisco.
Boulter has had to contend with various injuries throughout her career and that explains the tears that rolled down her cheeks as she talked post-match.
The British No.1 said: “I’m definitely going to be sleeping with this trophy tonight.
“I dreamt of this moment at this tournament ever since I was a little girl, since I first trained here aged four or five years old.
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“So, coming here as a fan and also now as a player, dreaming big, I something found a way to win it – this means more than everything to me.
“You work through the tough moments and the good moments. We plug away behind-the-scenes, which nobody really sees.
“I’m so grateful to have my team by my side. I’ll never take them for granted ever.
“It’s a privilege to play in front of a home crowd."
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Boulter is now set to rise to a career high of No.77 and said: "I found some photos of me at the beginning of the week training here as a tiny tot and I looked so happy and I was having the time of my life.
“I chose to remind myself before the final that that little girl still loves playing tennis and just enjoys every single moment that she is out on the court.
"And I think that really helped me because I was very relaxed.
“To be back here I have so many special feelings, staying at home, my mum’s cooking made all the difference. It does feel very special to me because it is my home tournament.
“In my toughest moments, I have obviously thought to myself if I would be able to come back from them, how I would come back from them.
“Nothing is straightforward. I never took that for granted. I have an incredible team around me this year, the past few years as well, who have pushed me on, and reminded me that I will have moments like this as well.
"I am sitting on top of a cloud right now and I am going to enjoy it I am sure."
Burrage, 24, had been dealing with arm and wrist injuries, but bravely played in the final.
She said: “I’m a bit gutted. A tough, tough match. Boults played absolutely incredible so credit to her.
“For me this has been such a positive week, I have beaten some really good players, proved some things to myself so I will only take the positives.
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“Hopefully I’ll be back next year and we can do this again next year.”
Andy Murray lifted the men's trophy as he continues his Wimbledon preparations.
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