Madrid Open: Bouchard defeats Sharapova in the “battle of glamour”

A jubilant Bouchard after winning her match. Image source: Sky Sports
A jubilant Bouchard after winning her match.
Image source: Sky Sports

Internet Desk: Motivated more than usual, Eugenie Bouchard used her game to send a message to Maria Sharapova by defeating the Russian 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in a thrilling second-round match at the Madrid Open on Monday.

Bouchard, one of the most outspoken players against Sharapova’s return to tennis following a doping ban, jumped up and down after converting her second match point in just under three hours.

It was their first meeting since Bouchard called Sharapova a “cheater” and said she should have been banned for life from the sport after testing positive for meldonium at last year’s Australian Open.

The Madrid Open is only the second tournament for Sharapova since serving a 15-month suspension.

The world number 60, Eugenie Bouchard, admitted she was extra motivated to face her former idol and it showed with signs of the form she has lost over the past few years since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2014 in a bruising near three-hour contest.

“I was actually quite inspired before the match because I had a lot of players coming up to me privately wishing me good luck,” said Bouchard.

“Players I don’t normally speak to, getting a lot of texts from people in the tennis world that were just rooting for me. “I wanted to do it for myself, but also all these people. I really felt support.

“It showed me that most people have my opinion, and they were just maybe scared to speak out.”

Sharapova claimed to have not been distracted by media circus surrounding the match and that her disappointment comes from losing, not who she lost to.

“I think I would be worried about myself if I sat here and said I’m pretty happy with losing a tennis match, no matter who I face, no matter what round it is, whether it’s the first round or final of a Grand Slam.

“I’m a big competitor. What you work for so many hours every single day is to be on the winning end of matches.

“Today was just not that day. Of course, I’m disappointed. That’s what’s going to make me a better player. That’s what’s going to win me more tournaments and more Grand Slams.”

Bouchard battled back from 4-2 down to claim a topsy-turvy first set and she edged a marathon 11th game before serving it out for just her second set in five meetings with Sharapova.

However, adversity brought out the best in the five-time Grand Slam champion as Sharapova found the precision to match her power in the second set, reeling off four straight games from 2-2 to level at one set all.

Both players struggled to hold serve in the deciding set as a total of 14 break points were squandered.

However, Bouchard held her nerve when serving for the match at 5-4 as she saw off two break points and an unfortunate let cord on her first match point.

The Canadian jumped for joy after delivering the final blow before the two exchanged a very frosty handshake at the net.

Bouchard will face top seed Angelique Kerber, who fought back from 5-3 down in the deciding set to overcome Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 earlier on Monday, in the third round.

Kerber has had an inconsistent season and her fragile form was on show in the course of the first two sets.

The German romped through the opening set in 27 minutes but then had to save six break points for her only game in the second.

Siniakova served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set, but Kerber showed impressive fight to win the last four games.

Karolina Pliskova, ranked third in the world, was dumped out 6-3, 6-3 by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova.

In the men’s Madrid Masters there were comfortable wins for Thomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios.

However, 15th seed Gael Monfils bowed out in a wild match against French compatriot Gilles Simon 0-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7/0).