[CR11] Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) vs. [CR76] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
Bouchard continues to search for the form that propelled her to the Wimbledon Final in 2014. What went wrong with Bouchard’s game? A moment of excitement turned sour when Bouchard was paralyzed by anxiety and unable to perform before a packed stadium. Bouchard cracked under the overwhelming pressure of success and expectation. Now she no longer trusts in her ability to perform on court and that uncertainty clouds her mind. She doubts when she should execute with conviction and the result, she loses leads repeatedly.
Today was another example of the impact Bouchard’s mental state is having on her game. She won the second set comfortably, 6-1. She broke twice in the third set and had a 4-0 lead; yet, never looked convinced that she was going to win. Shvedova, sensing her fragility, never stopped fighting and believing in her game. Although she had never won a set against Bouchard, Shvedova realized this was her opportunity. The anxiety that plagued Bouchard’s game in the final at Wimbledon returned and Shvedova broke her three consecutive times to win the match 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
Can Bouchard regain her form in time for Wimbledon or does she use this season to build on for 2016?
