Boulter may have sat at the top of British women’s tennis for two years but, with Raducanu looking back to somewhere near her best, we could see the two battling for the top spot in British women’s tennis on a regular basis.
Boulter is looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s going to be fun for me to chase her now, and I think she’s been doing that for a while. Now it’s kind of my turn,” she said.
“I’m very happy for her to be British number one.”
Boulter, who won the title in Nottingham this time last year, had been trying to reach a seventh quarter-final on grass.
There were plenty of positives to take in a first set which she said featured “some of the best grass court tennis” she has played.
She continually caused problems behind her first serve – something she had suggested she would be working on in the build-up to this match after struggles earlier this week – and went a double break up on her way to taking the first set.
But by the time the umpire suspended play because of a downpour, Boulter was down a break at 4-1 in the second set and in trouble on serve again.
After a 20-minute rain delay, she returned to have her serve broken for a second time and, despite recovering one break, she could not prevent Shnaider from forcing a deciding set.
Boulter once again came under pressure in the opening game, wiping out three break points to secure the hold as problems on serve returned with a vengeance.
She saved more break points in her next service game, only to double-fault and concede the break.
From there, Boulter struggled to regroup and went down a double break.
She could not find a way back as Shnaider set up a meeting with American second seed, and Australian Open champion, Madison Keys.
