Wimbledon Women’s Final Open Thread: Petra Kvitova v Eugenie Bouchard
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The women’s will crown their third different Grand Slam champion this season as first-time finalist Eugenie Bouchard meets former champion Petra Kvitova today in the women’s final.
Kvitova, the 2011 champion, has lost just one set en route to her second career Slam final. The 20-year-old Bouchard, the 212 junior champion, hasn’t lost a set as she tries to become the first Canadian to ever win a single Grand Slam title.
This is the 4th straight year three different players will win the first three Grand Slams of the season. In that time (since 2011), 7 different players have won the Australian Open, Roland Garros or Wimbledon: Kim Clijsters, Li Na (x 2), Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka (x 2), Maria Sharapova (x 2), Serena Williams (x 2) and Marion Bartoli.
During the Open Era, 42 women have won at least one Grand Slam title and 23 have won multiple majors.
Bouchard is the youngest Grand Slam finalist since 2009 US Open (Wozniacki, R-Up) and is bidding to become the youngest Grand Slam champion since 2006 US Open (Sharapova).
The combined age of the finalists is 44 years, 239 days. It is the youngest final since 2008 Roland Garros when Ana Ivanovic (20 years, 214 days) defeated Dinara Safina (22 years, 41 days).
Bouchard is the first Canadian, woman or man, to reach a Grand Slam final – all time. (At time of writing, Milos Raonic is through to men’s SF).
Bouchard won Junior Wimbledon just two years ago – 2012. To date the quickest turnaround of junior-senior success at Wimbledon belongs to Hingis (Won 1994 Junior Wimbledon and, three years later, the 1997 Ladies’ Singles). Just four players have won the Wimbledon women’s singles title after winning the Wimbledon girls singles title (Haydon-Jones, Susman, Hingis and Mauresmo).
Kvitova is seeded No.6; six No.6 seeds have won a Grand Slam title in the Open Era, but only once at Wimbledon (2012 – S.Williams).
Bouchard is seeded No.13; Maria Sharapova is the only No.13 seed to have won a Grand Slam title and it happened right here at the All England Club in 2004.
[13] EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN #13) vs. [6] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #6)
Kvitova leads 1-0
BOUCHARD QUICK HITS: Will move into WTA Top 10 after Wimbledon for the first time in her career; projected to be No.6 by winning the title, No.7 as R-Up; regardless, will become highest-ranked Canadian in history (formerly Bassett-Seguso at No.8)… Only player to at least reach all three of the Grand Slam SF played so far in 2014… Is 7-11 against Top 10 players, incl. 5-4 in 2014 – win over No.3 Halep in SF was 1st career win over a Top 5 player (previously 0-5)… After finishing 2013 ranked No.32, made Top 20 debut after reaching first Grand Slam SF at 2014 Australian Open… Won first career WTA title at Nürnberg (d. Ka.Pliskova in F)… 2014 Wimbledon is only her fourth career grass court main draw event (she lost in opening round at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, l. V.King)… As a junior enjoyed success at Wimbledon lifting both the singles and doubles girls’ championship trophies in 2012; also won girls’ doubles title in 2011… Named 2013 WTA Newcomer of the Year, as voted by international tennis media.
KVITOVA QUICK HITS: Through to second Wimbledon final, having won title in 2011… The fourth Czech woman to reach the final at Wimbledon more than once – joining Navratilova (won title in 1978-79 representing TCH, Mandlikova (R-Up in 1981 and 1986) and Novotna (R-Up in 1993, 1997; won title in 1998)… Was two points from losing in the 3r here, serving at 57 45 30-30 against No.30 seed Venus Williams. She managed to scrape through that match, 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-5, With R32 win, improved to 4-1 vs. V.Williams; one of 9 players who have defeated V.Williams 4 or more times… Including wins at Wimbledon over Hlavackova (1r), Zahlavova Strycova (QF) and Safarova (SF) owns a 7-0 record vs. CZE opponents in 2014… Owns a 2-5 record vs. Top 20 opponents in 2014 (54-53 lifetime) with wins over No.13 Ivanovic (Miami) and No.20 Vinci (Fed Cup SF)… Currently the top-ranked lefthander, ahead of Kerber, Makarova, Safarova and Dellacqua in Top 50… In 2013, played a WTA-leading 37 three-set matches (25-12 record); has played 13 three-set matches this year (8-5)… At 2011 Wimbledon became the first (and thus far only) player born in 1990s to win a Grand Slam title… One of 10 active Grand Slam champions.
(WTA)
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