British No 1 beaten 6-1, 6-2 by 20-year-old RussianBoulter excited after reaching career-high ranking of 23Katie Boulter’s strong run in Hong Kong came to a brutal end on Sunday when she was thoroughly outplayed in the final by the top seed, Diana Shnaider, who dismantled the ­British No 1 player 6-1, 6-2 to win her fourth WTA title of the season.Boulter, the second seed, was ­outgunned from the beginning by Shnaider, a strong left-hander with a heavy forehand. As Shnaider ­continually took the first strike and forced Boulter into ­uncomfortable positions around the court, she exposed the ­vulnerable points of Boulter’s game. The Briton overpressed, she lost confidence in her serve and she had no alternative plan against a relentless opponent. Continue reading...