JODIE Burrage will contest a first all-British WTA Tour final for 46 years at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham this afternoon when she takes on Katie Boulter, writes Eleanor Crooks.

Britain’s leading women have responded in style to criticism of the fact none of them were in the main draw at the French Open with the sort of week not seen since the 1970s when Virginia Wade and Sue Barker were at the top of the game.

Three home players were in the last four for the first time on the main tour since 1975, and Boulter defeated compatriot Heather Watson 6-4 7-5 before Burrage saw off France’s Alize Cornet 7-5 7-5.

In the 50 years of the WTA Tour, the only previous all-British finals saw Barker and Wade split victories in Paris in 1975 and San Francisco two years later.

Boulter has cemented her new British number one status this week, beating Harriet Dart in the quarter-finals on Thursday and now getting the better of Watson.

The 26-year-old, from Leicestershire, went into the week ranked 126 but has guaranteed she will be back in the top 100 next week for the first time since 2019.

At that stage, Boulter looked set to push on towards the top 50, only for a stress fracture in her back to rule her out for seven months, and it has been a long road back.

Burrage is also having the best week of her career and impressed again with the quality of her groundstrokes in taking out the hugely experienced Cornet, who ended Iga Swiatek’s 37-match unbeaten run at Wimbledon last summer.

“I wasn’t expecting this coming into this week,” said Burrage, 24.

“But I’m very, very happy with my performance. It’s going to be an amazing day. What an amazing tournament for both of us.”

Burrage would break the top 100 for the first time and overtake Boulter as British number one should she lift the trophy.