WIMBLEDON LADIES SEMIS RESULTS / THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS ARE ON SATURDAY , EUGENIE BOUCHARD WILL PLAY PETRA KVITOVA FOR THE TITLE

Written by: Staff on 3rd July 2014

WIMBLEDON LADIES SEMIS RESULTS / THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS ARE ON SATURDAY , EUGENIE BOUCHARD WILL PLAY PETRA KVITOVA FOR THE TITLE

epa04296614 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic returns to compatriot Lucie Safarova in their semi final match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 03 July 2014. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH |

Czech-Mates and Rising Stars – Women’s Semi-finals Round-up

With the exception of 2011 champion Petra Kvitova, it was a treat to see new names in the frame for a place in Saturday’s final, when the women’s semi-finals were played on Thursday.

Czech Republic was guaranteed at least one person in the final as the former champion faced off against friend and Fed Cup team-mate Lucie Safarova. And despite going down an early break, Safarova did not let her career best Slam performance overwhelm her, breaking back and forcing a tie-break. She managed to save one set-point but could not hold on to the second.

Maybe here experience started to come into play as Kvitova broke early again, and this time Safarova had no answer as the second set raced the way of her fellow countrywoman. A break to put Kvitova in the position of serving out the set saw her book her place in the final for a second tilt at the title.

After the match Kvitova said: “I knew that it’s going to be very tough match against her. She played I think her best tennis here all the tournament. She really deserve to be in the semi-final.

“She played great in the first set and was really close every point what we played. From the beginning, both of us were very nervous, so it was difficult [because of] that.”

For Safarova, it has been a great tournament – so often she is the dangerous name in the draw, that no-one wants to meet. And with this run, there will be plenty of people dreading the US Open draw.

Safarova said: “She was just better there today. We had a really close first set; second set she was just a step better.

“It was a good run for me. I mean, it’s the best result of my career. She’s my friend, so once the match was done I just wished her all the best. I hope she’s going to win it.”

Next up it was the highly anticipated battle between two of the WTA’s rising stars – Simona Halep who made her first Slam final at the French Open, and Eugenie Bouchard, who has made the semi-finals of all three Grand Slams this year.

Halep took the early initiative but it did not last long as Bouchard broke back. But while chasing down a backhand down the line, Halep went over on her ankle and had to take a 12 minute medical time-out for treatment. There was more drama to come in the resulting first set tie-break when it was paused while a spectator who had fallen ill received attention.

It did not detracted from the set as Halep was pulled left and right around the court with no mercy by Bouchard. The Romanian managed to save one set point in the first set tie-break, but failed on the second.

Much like the first semi-final, the momentum stayed with Bouchard after she took the first set as she raced ahead to a 5-1 lead, although it took the young Canadian six match points to close out the set.

After the match, Bouchard said: “”It was a little crazy – I’ve never really ended a match like that. I’m just happy I kept my focus and didn’t get distracted or anything and played well in the last game.

“I’m not surprised to be in the final, because I’ve put in a lot of hard work and it’s been years in the making. I believe in myself and I expect good results and I always want more. I’ve had a good start to the season, but I expect myself to do even better than that and that’s what I’m going to try and do.”

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada returns to Simona Halep of Romania in their semi-final match of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 03 July 2014. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

NOTE : The Women’s final will be played on Saturday. The Men’s finals are on Sunday.

Topics: Eugenie Bouchard, Lucie Safarova, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Tennis, Wimbledon 2014

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10sBalls_com says:

July 3, 2014 at 3:38 pm

@Wimbledon LADIES SEMIS RESULTS / THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS ARE ON SATURDAY , @geniebouchard …- http://t.co/RCF7pVu2t6 @Petra_Kvitova #WTA