Bouchard Hangs On to Reach Hobart Final
Eugenie Bouchard knocked off third-seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on Friday to reach the Hobart International final.
Bouchard was up a set and had multiple break point chances in the second set, but Cibulkova saved three of them, and fought back from four break advantages to force a deciding third set.
But in the third set, the Canadian was able to secure the set’s lone break point on her only chance, and won 80 percent of her first serve points to hang on for the victory.
“I’m just happy I got through today,” said Bouchard, who has now knocked off three seeded players in Hobart on her way to the final. “The first set was a great level for me—I can’t remember the last time I played that well. Now the important thing is to keep that consistency. It was hard to keep it up—it’s another lesson I’ve learned, to control my emotions a little better.”
In the final, Bouchard will look to take out another seed, this time seventh-seed Alize Cornet of France.
Cornet played phenomenal tennis in her semifinal, notching five break points to dispatch Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-1.
Bouchard is 2-1 in her career against Cornet.
