Nottingham Open: Katie Boulter knocked out in quarterfinals by McCartney Kessler

Two-time defending champion Katie Boulter has been knocked out of the Nottingham Open in the quarterfinals by American McCartney Kessler.

Kessler won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to oust Britain’s Boulter from the tournament.

The 25-year-old, who is unseeded, also knocked out top seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the round-of-32.

Boulter was slow out of the blocks on Friday going down 6-3 in the first set before she fought back in the second.

The Brit looked on course to complete the comeback after leading 4-2 in the third and final set, before Kessler rebounded herself to win 6-4.

In the first quarterfinal earlier on Friday, Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska upset fifth seed Leylah Fernandez, beating the Canadian 6-3, 7-6.

Magda Linette will play Yastremska in the next round after she beat Clara Tauson 6-2, 7-5 in the second quarterfinal.