Simona Halep v Eugenie Bouchard - Wimbledon 2014 SF

[oztennisfan]

It was doing better before mugs like Bouchard were in the semis of Wimbledon

shes made the semis of wimbledon, the french and the aussie open this year, her first full year on the tour, shes no mug.

just because she is blonde, pretty and seriously marketable doesnt mean she isnt a tough, fierce competitor, she will be top 5 and higher for a very long time.

 

[jaggy]

I am looking forward to this although Halep seems just too good

 

[Down_the_line]

I am looking forward to this although Halep seems just too good

I'll be supporting Genie all the way but I, too, have a feeling it will be Halep.

Halep in 3.

 

[Down_the_line]

Players are on court now warming up.

This match-up feels like foreshadowing. These two are going to be seeing a lot of eachother in the future (much to some people's chagrin).

 

[Marius_Hancu]

We're on.

Halep is very bouncy at the warmup -- I think she's pumped up to start quick.
Can bet Bouchard in on too.

Halep - 5 hours of previous play
Bouchard - 7 - much more difficult path, says Mac.

Hate to see this chair umpire. He messed it up in the French final.

Great first serve by Bouchard to start:
1-0 Bouchard

First break for Halep, starting with a strange BH chip, going very low
Bouchard doesn't serve so well here
2-1 Halep

Bouchard breaks back right away with heavy returning.

Haleps sprains left ankle -- not previously taped, perhaps an error.

3-2 Bouchard on serve

 

[kishnabe]

Why are ppl craping on Bouchard? She not overrated.....since she made 3 GS SF.

There are so many overrated male players who only have 1 SF or less( Monfils, Raonic, Dimitrov, Gulbis, Janowicz).

How is Bouchard a mug.....

 

[helterskelter]

Stylistically, I see a similarity with a Roger Federer vs Andre Agassi match,
the smoother stylist, owning the geometry of the court, against the fighter,
the player taking the ball on the rise, trying to rush you.

I'd prefer a stylistic comparison to women's players. The first one that comes to mind is Hingis [Halep] v Seles [Bouchard], as Hingis is the recent women's player who best owned the geometry of the court, and Seles the one who took the ball on the rise and tried to rush the opponent.

However, Hingis also took the ball very early, albeit without anything like the power that Seles or Bouchard have. So, while Hingis v Seles has something in it, it's also true that both Halep and Bouchard resemble Hingis in some ways.

 

[Steve0904]

Strong opening game. First few games are important.

 

[romeo8880]

Tough match but I give the edge to Bouchard on grass.

 

[Fed881981]

Two players I like. Not easy...

 

[Down_the_line]

Good first game for Bouchard, but she looks nervous in this service game.

 

[Down_the_line]

Halep takes advantage of a nervous game by Bouchard and breaks.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Women's tennis has become unwatchable.Can these women hold their serve anymore?

 

[Graphiteking]

Im in a pickle with this one because I like both players, but I think this tourney is Halep to lose...

 

[Steve0904]

Uh oh. I'd like to see Bouchard make the final, but not like this.

 

[Down_the_line]

Bouchard breaks right back. That was easy.

Halep getting medical attention for her foot/ankle now. Looks like she tweaked it running for a shot.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Kvitova is winning wimbledon because she hasnt been broken as much.imo

 

[Chico]

No. That I hope Halep is not injured and could finish the match.

 

[Down_the_line]

Uh oh. I'd like to see Bouchard make the final, but not like this.

Agreed. I really hope Simona can still play.

 

[jaggy]

This one looks bad

 

[Steve0904]

This one looks bad

That it does, unfortunately.

 

[Nostradamus]

Simona is cuter

 

[TahoeTennis]

Will Genie pull a Stan and feel weird about making Halep run around, or will she smell blood and now make her run and punish her?
Sad for Halep, hope she fights, but
Genie now takes this in 2.

 

[Chico]

Adidas is incapable of making decent proper grass shoes. Not sure why pros use them and risk serious injury during the grass season.

 

[Down_the_line]

Women's tennis has become unwatchable.Can these women hold their serve anymore?

High level women's tennis is not unwatchable. Just give it a shot instead of following the herd.

 

[Steve0904]

Bouchard is not playing a good game here. I worried about that.

 

[helterskelter]

Women's tennis has become unwatchable.Can these women hold their serve anymore?

Odd time to make this claim. Wimbledon has been pretty serve-dominated by women's standards. For example, the Kvitova/Williams match contained two breaks of serve in 36 service games. The Kvitova/Safarova match only contained four breaks of serve in 19 service games. Kerber/Bouchard contained four breaks in 19 games.

In the men's game, these numbers would be pretty standard. In the women's game, they are on the low side.

 

[Down_the_line]

A couple good serves get Bouchard out of a jam.

 

[Steve0904]

Nice recovery though.

 

[jaggy]

Halep's moving although not that well

 

[jaggy]

Simona is cuter

Some will never forgive her

 

[Nostradamus]

if I had a choice, I would marry Simona and not Eugenie

 

[Nostradamus]

Some will never forgive her

Many Many men would prefer her this way, believe or not...........

 

[BigServer1]

Halep looks OK right now. Moving around seemingly fine.

 

[Down_the_line]

Perfect placement by Bouchard. Can't play tennis any better than that.

She's going to have no mercy on Halep. She's going to move her around and around and around.

 

[Steve0904]

Good lob from Halep.

 

[BigServer1]

Genie needs to learn an overhead. I've never understood the swinging volley.

Halep looking alright, serving well, moving well enough.

 

[Steve0904]

Yeah, Halep's looking ok.

 

[Down_the_line]

Genie needs to learn an overhead. I've never understood the swinging volley.

Halep looking alright, serving well, moving well enough.

I thought that too at one point, but hey she just keeps hitting clean putaway winners off those swinging volleys, so whatever works, works.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Simona cuter then bouchard? I dont think so lol

 

[BigServer1]

I thought that too at one point, but hey she just keeps hitting clean putaway winners off those swinging volleys, so whatever works, works.

Yeah she seems to make them often, but she made a mess of thst backhand swinging volley that would have set up BP.

Just seems like an odd choice.

 

[Steve0904]

Looks like Bouchard is not the only one who can't play at net.

 

[Nostradamus]

so if Eugenie wins today, then would she be able to beat Kvitova tomorrow ??

If she wins, she will make more money than Sharapova did.

 

[BigServer1]

I love how offensive genie is on the return of serve. Anything weak and she'll make her opponent pay.

 

[Down_the_line]

Bouchard's down the line forehand just clips the line to give her a break point.

 

[BigServer1]

Halep seems like she's settled in. Couple of great points on BP

 

[Down_the_line]

I love how offensive genie is on the return of serve. Anything weak and she'll make her opponent pay.

I saw a stat on twitter: Genie has been standing inside the baseline on the return 98% of the time at Wimbledon.

 

[Steve0904]

Halep saves 2 BP's.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

One of these two players will have to play very well to beat kvitova.

 

[Down_the_line]

One of these two players will have to play very well to beat kvitova.

Agreed. Goes without saying.