Tuesday, June 10

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Queen's Club Championships last-16 match between Diana Shnaider and Katie Boulter, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.

Diana Shnaider and Katie Boulter face off in the last 16 of the Queen's Club Championships on Thursday, both aiming to secure a quarter-final berth.

While Boulter had to dig deep to avoid an opening-round exit against Ajla Tomljanovic, Shnaider dispatched Magdalena Frech in straight sets, setting up a second meeting with the former British No. 1.

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Match preview

Shnaider commenced her grass-court season with a positive performance and result against Frech, securing a 6-4, 6-1 victory over the Polish player in one hour and 11 minutes.

The win marked the young lefty’s 16th of 2025, bringing her record to 16-13 for the season as the grass-court season begins.

Last year was promising for the 21-year-old, who claimed one of her four 2024 titles in the lead-up to Wimbledon in Bad Homburg, triumphing over Donna Vekic in the WTA 500 event — the biggest of the young Russian player's career.

Entering West Kensington with a 9-3 record on grass in the past 52 weeks, the world No. 12 notched her 10th triumph on the surface before facing the former British No. 1 for a second WTA matchup.

Having defeated Boulter in last year's Hong Kong final, the young player seeks another strong performance to outlast the four-time WTA champion who is seven years her senior.

Like Shnaider, Boulter enjoyed success on grass 12 months ago, evidenced by her title win in Nottingham in June 2024, where she beat Karolina Pliskova in three sets.

The marathon woman's ongoing ability to secure three-set victories stands her in good stead if matches extend, but it seems the former world No. 23 would prefer straightforward matches to drawn-out contests.

The 28-year-old required two hours and 21 minutes to avoid a tournament-opening loss to Tomljanovic, recovering from a second-set loss of 6-1 to secure a 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4 victory.

By defeating Tuesday's Australian opponent, Boulter has now won eight consecutive three-set matches in 2025, with her only losses coming to Iga Swiatek at the United Cup and Veronika Kudermetova in Australia.

Holding a 9-2 record in such matches puts the world No. 34 in a strong position if Thursday's contest goes to a third set, but the four-time WTA champion, who has improved to 13-8 for the season, hopes for a 14th win at the expense of Shnaider to set up a last-eight encounter with Anastasia Zakharova or Madison Keys.

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Tournament so far

Diana Shnaider:

First round: vs. Magdalena Frech 6-4 6-1

 

Katie Boulter:

First round: vs. Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6[4] 1-6 6-4

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Head To Head

Hong Kong (2024) - Final: Shnaider 6-1 6-2

Shnaider and Boulter face off for the first time since last year’s Hong Kong final, which the Russian won quite convincingly in straight sets in 72 minutes.

The No. 12 player in the world faced no break points in that November encounter while converting seven of the 11 opportunities she created on the Briton's serve.

That match marked Boulter’s second defeat against left-handed opponents, against whom she holds a 6-2 record in the past 52 weeks.

However, the former world No. 23 has lost her last four matches against top-20 opponents, falling to Iga Swiatek in the United Cup, Elena Rybakina in Indian Wells, Jasmine Paolini in Madrid and Madison Keys at the French Open.

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We say: Shnaider to win in two sets

Given Boulter’s recent success in matches that go to deciders, Shnaider will aim to avoid a third set against the British player, who has won her last eight such matches.

We back the Russian to accomplish this in two sets, thereby continuing the home player’s underwhelming record against top-20 opponents. ID:574827:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5390:

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