Bouchard controls her nerves to reach Wimbledon final

Powerful Canadian Eugenie Bouchard overcame match-point jitters to claim an eventful 7-6(5) 6-2 victory over Romania's Simona Halep 7-6(5) 6-2 at Wimbledon on Thursday and reach a Grand Slam final for the first time.

The 20-year-old from Montreal harried and chased third seed Halep from the baseline, producing a series of forehand winners.

The match was interrupted three times. After four games Halep, 22, needed treatment on a sore ankle.
Then in the tiebreak a spectator was taken ill in the sunshine and had to be led from the stand.

On Bouchard's first match point Halep served an ace, but 13th seed Bouchard complained she had been distracted by a noise in the crowd.

She argued with the umpire Kader Nouni but the point stood.

With Bouchard rattled, Halep saved four more match points but her intensity was shot and she sent a ball long to offer the Canadian her sixth chance.

Bouchard thumped down a big serve that the French Open finalist could only push into the net.

"It was a little crazy. I have never ended a match like that," Bouchard said. "I'm happy I kept my focus and didn't get distracted and played well in the last game."

The Canadian, who reached the semi-finals at both the Australian and French Opens this year, meets 2011 champion Petra Kvitova in Saturday's final.
The Czech beat compatriot Lucie Safarova in the first semi-final.

"I'm really excited ... it's my first grand slam final so I'm just going to go for it. I will probably have my toughest match yet so I'm looking forward to the challenge," a beaming Bouchard said.

"My coach will watch her play and give me some tips on how she plays, but I'm just going to go out there and play my game. I think I can play even better than I did today."

The semi-final victory shot Bouchard into the world's top 10 in only her second year on the professional tour.

Former champion Petra Kvitova moved within one match of capturing a second Wimbledon title, ending the plucky resistance of Lucie Safarova 7-6 (6) 6-1 in their all-Czech showdown on Thursday.

Although few held out much hope of the 27-year-old Safarova beating her friend, having lost all five of their previous meetings, she had not lost a set en route to her first grand slam semi-final.

"It was a tough match mentally because Lucie is a great friend of mine, we know each other well off the court as well. I am just happy I won," sixth seed Kvitova, 24, told the BBC.

"I am very emotional but I have two days before the final to focus ... I know how it feels to lift that trophy so I will try my best to do it again."

After having her serve broken in the opening game, Safarova quickly settled into unfamiliar surroundings on Centre Court, producing a series of venomous winners as the big-hitting left-handers slugged it out from the baseline.

The 23rd seed broke back in the fourth game and matched the powerful Kvitova every step of the way until the 2011 champion made the decisive breakthrough with a breathtaking cross-court forehand clinching a scintillating tiebreak.

Bloodied but unbowed, Safarova continued to attack at every opportunity but without the consistency required to unsettle her opponent.

Kvitova stepped up a gear to forge into a 3-0 lead in the second set.

Safarova stemmed the flow in the fourth game but by then Kvitova had her measure and continued the relentless barrage of fierce returns and passing shots to secure victory.

SECOND SET: HALEP 2 BOUCHARD 6

Powerful Canadian Eugenie Bouchard overcame match-point jitters to pound Romania's Simona Halep 7-6(5) 6-2 in an eventful Wimbledon semi-final on Thursday and reach a grand slam final for the first time.

The 20-year-old from Montreal harried and chased Halep from the baseline, producing a series of forehand winners.

The match was interrupted three times. After four games Halep needed treatment on a sore ankle. Then in the tiebreak a spectator was taken ill in the sunshine and had to be led from the stand.

In the final set after Halep had saved the first match point, former junior Wimbledon champion Bouchard stopped to complain of a noise in the crowd.

It took her five more nervy match points to complete victory and set up a meeting with 2011 champion Petra Kvitova.

Bouchard fights hard and serving well as she earns two match points. She loses both thanks to a double fault included as it enters deuce. She seems to be shaken as another unforced error gives Halep the break point before she takes the match in the sixth match point. Halep 2 Bouchard 6
 
Halep looked to have lost the battle as things went horribly wrong in the very important game to hand Bouchard a 0-30 lead and then two match points. Halep managed to save both of them to take it to deuce. Intense battle followed before the Romanian held on to her serve saving three match points. Halep 2 Bouchard 5
 
Bouchard began her game with a superb ace before Halep emerged on the top during some wonderful rallies to make it 30-all. Bouchard served a crucial ace again but saw the game head to deuce . The Canadian fought hard despite a double fault to keep the serve. Halep 1 Bouchard 5

BREAK! Bouchard is playing at a different level as earns a break point before Halep commits a crucial unforced error to lose the game.
Halep 1 Bouchard 4

Bouchard looking strong at the moment. She is serving well and pushing Halep to the limits. Takes the game comfortably to surge into a good lead. Halep 1 Bouchard 3

BREAK! Bouchard goes ahead with breaking Halep. A crucial break for the Canadian. Halep 1 Bouchard 2

Bouchard does not waste much of her time to seal the game easily winning her game easily. Halep 1 Bouchard 1

Halep begins the second set winning her first game without much of a fuss. Halep 1 Bouchard 0

FIRST SET: BOUCHARD 7 HALEP 6

Bouchard held her nerve to take the tie break in style. It was some brilliant stuff from both the ladies before Bouchard won it 7-5. Bouchard 7 Halep 6

Impressive forehand shots takes Bouchard to 15-30 before Halep fights back to win three brilliant points to take the game.
Bouchard 6 Halep 6

In the crucial game, Halep led 0-30 before Bouchard served well to earn four points in a row to hold on to her serve. Halep will have to get everything right this time. Bouchard 6 Halep 5

Halep also earned four straight points but not before some long rallies to lead 40-0. Bouchard earned a point but that did not stop Halep from winning the game. Bouchard 5 Halep 5

Bouchard is getting some strong serves followed by some quality shots as she earn four straight points wrap the game comfortably. Bouchard 5 Halep 4

Bouchard fights hard to earn a break point  but Halep gets a superb winner to take it to deuce and then hold on to her serve.
Bouchard 4 Halep 4

It's a firece battle out there but Bouchard serves well backed by some impressive shots to keep her serve. Bouchard 4 Halep 3

Halep looks to be confident despite getting treated shortly. She is playing a lot more freely, but Bouchard is not givit it away as she levels score at 30-all and then taking it to deuce. Halep had to fight hard before she holds on to her serve. Bouchard 3 Halep 3

Halep is back and she looks to be ok earning the first two points off Bouchard but the Canadian fights back to retain her game. Bouchard 3 Halep 2

It looks like Halep has hurt herself badly. She is being treated for what looks like a twisted ankle.

BREAK! Bouchard is not letting it slip from her hand getting in some impressive shots to lead 0-30 and then 15-40 to earn two break points. The Canadian makes Halep run around the court as she earns back the break. Bouchard 2 Halep 2

BREAK! Unforced errors gives Halep the advantage as she goes 0-30 up before Bouchard gets into the groove with some fantastic baseline shots to level it. Two unforced errors follow as Halep gets her first break. Bouchard 1 Halep 2

Halep is equally aggressive to go straight to 40-15 but a double fault brings Bouchard closer before Halep gets it right to wrap the game. Bouchard 1 Halep 1

It was a good positive start for Bouchard as she gets all her first serves in place. She holds her serve to earn her first game. Bouchard 1 Halep 0

Both Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard are in the middle as they prepare for warming up.

PREVIEW

Rising Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard has vowed to make amends for her Grand Slam semi-final heartache by finally reaching her first major final at Wimbledon.

Bouchard, the 13th seed, will make her maiden last four appearance at the All England Club on Thursday after cruising to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Germany's Angelique Kerber in Wednesday's quarter-final.

The 20-year-old plays world number three Simona Halep, who defeated Sabine Lisicki 6-4, 6-0 in the other quarter-final, for a place in Saturday's final and is determined to erase the bitter memories of her last-four losses in the Australian and French Opens this year.

Bouchard, the 2012 junior Wimbledon champion, was beaten by Li Na in Melbourne and Maria Sharapova at Roland Garros.

"I'm excited to be in the semis. But, of course, I'm never satisfied, so I definitely want to go a step further," she said.

"I played some great players when I lost in the semis and you don't win every single time. But I'm going to look forward to playing a little bit like I played today.

"I was pretty solid out there and playing the right way on the grass. So that's going to be a key."

Bouchard has played Halep just once - losing in three sets at Indian Wells earlier this year - and she is confident she has learnt enough from that defeat to put the record straight.

"We had a good match at Indian Wells. I felt like I had chances, it was really close," she said.

"I learnt a little bit about her game. She's playing really well and can change direction really well on the court.

"So I'm going to be ready for that and really just try to go for it and take my chances."

Halep also has unfinished business at the majors after losing to Sharapova in the French Open final last month.

"Now I have more experience and more confidence in myself because it's the second time I've got to this stage," she said.

"I like grass, but it was difficult at the beginning of the tournament because I didn't have the timing. Then match by match and day to day I've got better."

In the other semi-final, Petra Kvitova believes her experience of winning the Wimbledon title three years ago could be the decisive factor when she faces fellow Czech Lucie Safarova.

Sixth seed Kvitova is the only former Grand Slam winner left in the women's draw and that could a crucial advantage at the business end of the tournament.

Thursday's clash with Safarova will mark Kvitova's third appearance in the Wimbledon semi-finals and her fifth last-four match at the majors, while in contrast her opponent will be breaking new ground as she plays in her first Grand Slam last-four tie.
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.