There are several young up-and-comers in today’s game of women’s tennis but Canada’s 19-year old phenom, Eugenie Bouchard, stands out among the rest.
Bouchard’s demeanor on the court is impressive, especially when you take into account her age. The teenager doesn’t succumb to the pressure of playing on the big stage. She, on the contrary, seems to impressively elevate her game in the big moments of the match. Being the ultimate competitor, she treats every point as a hard-fought battle, regardless of the score. The confidence and sense of fearlessness she displays in her shots has caught the attention of some all-time greats.
18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova said “[Bouchard] showed very great composure mentally, rising to the occasion. I like everything – she showed great shot selection and held up well under pressure. If she continues like this she will be top 20 at least by the end of the year. I don’t want to say a star is born but we have seen a potential Grand Slam champion here.”
Along with Navratilova, both Williams sisters as well as Maria Sharapova have praised Bouchard on her game and unlimited potential.
Bouchard is currently ranked #46 in the world but her ranking is expected to reach the top 40 for the first time in her very young career after a strong performance at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Her performance in Tokyo included beating the #13 ranked player in the world Sloane Stephens and #10 ranked player Jelena Jankovic on consecutive days before losing to a resurging Venus Williams.
Her win over Jankovic marks her 2nd win against a top 10 player. Her first came when she defeated former US Open champion Sam Stosur at the Family Circle Cup in early April of this year.
Expect to see Eugenie Bouchard become a household name around the world sooner rather than later. Until then, jump on the bandwagon while there is still room and enjoy watching her rise to the top.
Sports Minded 