Wimbledon Tennis 2014 Women's Final: Prediction for Saturday's Epic Clash
Eugenie Bouchard has blasted her way through two straight higher-ranked opponents and hasn't dropped a set yet in the tournament. She has snatched the spotlight with her play and poise. If she wins it all on Saturday, her story will easily be the most memorable of this year's tournament—on either side of the draw.
Petra Kvitova hasn't grabbed all of the spotlight that Bouchard has, but she's been nearly as dominant en route to the final.
Having dropped only one set during the tournament, the 2011 Wimbledon champion should be supremely confident coming in.
What does Bouchard say about her impending showdown with Kvitova? Per Wayne Coffey of the New York Daily News, Bouchard said: “I think it will be my toughest match yet. I think we’ll both be going at it, which will make for a very good match.”
Fans of the sport are hoping she's right.
Keys to Victory
Bouchard - Remain Calm
Poise and professionalism have been the hallmarks of Bouchard's run at Wimbledon. That said, she hasn't really had to face any real major obstacles. Having not dropped a set during this year's tournament, we really don't know how she'll react if she falls behind a set.
She has shown a penchant for unforced errors—especially in her last two matches. Against Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber, Bouchard committed a combined 43 unforced errors.
Because of her aggressive style, this stat will probably always be raised. In most cases, she'll take the good with the bad. However, if things don't go her way early, Bouchard will have to be resilient and maintain composure to win her first Grand Slam.
Kvitova - Keep Rallies Going
Because Bouchard likes to use powerful groundstrokes and passing shots, when she's on, she can keep rallies short. The longer those rallies go, the more apt Bouchard is to make the aforementioned unforced errors.
In contrast, Kvitova has been able to limit mistakes. She has had only 37 unforced errors in the last two matches. Against Lucie Safarova, Kvitova made just 13 miscues on her own.
To take the concept to the next level, Kvitova's second serve has been especially effective. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, Kvitova converted more than 60 percent of her second-serve opportunities.
Though the second serve will be softer, it has still been placed well enough to keep Kvitova in an advantageous position.
This can usher in the longer rallies that should favor Kvitova.
Prediction - Bouchard
Bouchard is the real deal from a mental makeup and on-court talent standpoint. Chris Chase of USA Today Sports writes:
"She takes the ball early and create angles that force her opponents into playing defensively. Her serve is solid and her groundstrokes are precise. But the thing you hear about most often is her tenacity and fight, the intangibles that prove so important in a one-on-one battle such as tennis.
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Sometimes, it's just your time. That's the case with Bouchard. She has been on the cusp of something big all year. After making it to the semifinals of the Australian and French Opens, Bouchard will break through with a monumental win on Saturday.
Stats per Wimbledon.com
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