SHE’S the rising star of tennis. She is named after a British princess and now she’s eyeing a date with a former Queen of Wimbledon.
Meet Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, this season’s 20-year-old breakthrough act – whose 7-6, 7-5 victory over France’s Alizé Cornet set up a quarter-final with either Maria Sharapova or Angelique Kerber.
Bouchard reached the semi-finals at this year’s Australian and French Opens and is looking forward with confidence once again, underlining why seasoned observers believe she will be the next big thing.
Cornet dumped out top seed and favourite Serena Williams on Saturday but in the critical moments of a tense encounter, Bouchard, a junior Wimbledon winner just two years ago, had her licked.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself this year, the main thing is confidence and I believe in myself now,” said Bouchard. “Whoever I play next I believe I can win it.
I’ve proved myself on the big stage now. I’ve playing on the big courts, I’ve come through big moments in big matches.
I’ve nothing to fear, I’m proud of how I can handle myself.”
Bouchard was beaten by Sharapova at Roland Garros as the Russian progressed to win her fifth career Grand Slam title last month.
Sharapova is the player Bouchard admired as a youngster, a formative memory her victory at the All England Club as a 17- year old a decade ago.
“No matter who I play, they’ll definitely be trying to go for it and I’ll be doing the same,” she added.
“If it’s Maria and I’m going to go in and try to battle and go for my shots. We had a tough match at the French Open but that’s the past, it would be a new match.”
Serena’s shock defeat has opened up the women’s draw with 2011 champion Petra Kvitova another possible beneficiary.
She brushed aside China’s Shuai Peng 6-3, 6-2 and has only dropped one set so far, in a tight third round tussle with five-time champion Venus Williams.
“I can’t compare this to three years ago, it’s a different time,” she added.
“But I’m playing well and feeling confident and that’s the important thing right now. It was a difficult match against Venus both physically and mentally but the weekend off really helps and I was pretty relaxed and that made the difference.”
Kvitova will now take on fellow Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova after she followed her win over second seed Li Na with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.
Stan Wawrinka believes Wimbledon is being opened up for defending champion Andy Murray by officials who never listen to player’s concerns.
Murray is up to schedule, thanks to a combination of good weather and scheduling on Centre Court with its retractable roof.
In contrast the other side of the draw is well behind after rain delays on Saturday and, again, yesterday.
It means some players now face the prospect of four matches in five days – while Murray plays every other day, giving him critical time to relax and recharge.
Wawrinka finally came past Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in their third round encounter yesterday but questioned the actions of tournament referee Andrew Jarrett.
And he hinted that some players wanted Wimbledon officials to consider ditching their traditional middle Sunday tournament break, with the event the shortest Slam on the calendar.
“I was disappointed, you have to accept it and they do what they want and you just follow,” said the world number three, who now faces Feliciano Lopez.
“I’ve got to play maybe three matches in three days now and it’s terrible for the body.
“Even you if try to talk to them [the referees] they’re not going to change anything. They don’t listen to the player, they just do what is good for them.”
Top seed Novak Djokovic claimed his 11th straight win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with a ruthless performance.
Tsonga was stunned by a recent evisceration at the French Open and while this was not such a humiliation, the scoreline will hardly boost morale for a player who should have done more to make an impact at this level.
Djokovic will now face Croatia’s Marin Cilic, who reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final after sweeping past France’s Jeremy Chardy 7-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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