TENNIS WIMBLEDON 2014 – 3rd July. E. Bouchard d. S. Halep 7-6, 6-2. An interview with Eugenie Bouchard
Q. How much of a relief is it to get past the semis this time and make it into a Grand Slam final?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I wouldn’t use the word ‘relief,’ but I’m happy to get to my first Grand Slam final. It’s very exciting. It’s what I’ve worked so long for, you know.
I’m just proud of myself for today’s effort.
Q. You seemed so subdued in victory. What are the emotions that you experienced on the court when you realized you were in the Wimbledon final?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, I felt like it should have happened a game earlier, so I already had that emotion in my head already.
But, you know, it’s not like a surprise to me. I expect good results like this. So for me, I was like, Okay, good. It’s a step in the right direction. I get to play in the final. You know, I still have another match, so it’s not a full celebration yet.
Q. What does this mean to you to be the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I get to make Canadian history again. It’s always exciting and special when I can make history. My job is not done. I want to go another step further.
So I’m going to stay focused and enjoy it after.
Q. What went on with the first match point? You seemed to have a long discussion with the umpire.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, when Simona tossed I heard someone scream in the crowd. It had happened a few times already. This time I didn’t feel prepared to return.
So I put my hand up. The umpire told me he heard it, as well, but he just didn’t see my hand go up. But, you know, it only went up after someone screamed, which was pretty much when she was going to serve.
I don’t know, somewhat of an unfortunate incident. I didn’t feel ready to return and I put my hand up. Yeah, I felt like we should have replayed the point, but he said, no, it was her point.
I took it as a challenge and tried to keep going.
Q. What about the incident in the tiebreak when you had to stop?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, a few odd things happened in this match. In the first set twice, I mean, basically we took a few minutes’ break randomly. First she took a medical timeout and then someone in the crowd was feeling unwell.
You know, it’s unfortunate that someone was feeling bad. I think we were both kind of feeling bad for someone like that.
But it’s pretty tough to stop in the middle of a tiebreak. You know, it was intense, and then to just kind of not play tennis for three minutes messes up the rhythm.
But, again, you know, I took it as a challenge. I was like, Okay, this is the same for both of us. This is happening. I’ll just go out and try my best.
I missed the next return. It wasn’t a great point. But then I stepped up my game.
Q. You talked about success not feeling ahead of schedule for you. When did you sort of feel like you might be in the 2014 Wimbledon final? When did this seem like a plausible goal?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Well, I always want to go as far as I can in any tournament. I didn’t set a specific goal of reaching a certain round of this tournament, but I’ve been feeling good these whole two weeks.
After doing well in the past few slams, I’ve been believing since the beginning of the tournament that I can do really well. You know, I’m just trying to take it one match at a time. It’s really important not to get ahead of ourselves.
But yeah, you know, I totally feel like I belong, and I’m just so excited for the next match.
Q. You talk a lot about looking forward to your next match. I wonder whether or not as this two week period has gone on you’ve taken any time to look back at the run you’ve gone on here and how that makes you feel, and what lessons you might be able to take out of the previous matches you played here?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I really try to do both. I really try to keep my blinders on and just focus on the next step, you know, whether it’s a day of practice or the next match.
But I also try to appreciate, you know, the effort I put in in my previous match. I’ll enjoy this win a little bit, then soon enough it’s time to focus again.
More I’d say at the end of the tournaments or trips I’ll kind of take a moment to reflect and look back. But it’s really important for me to just keep going. You know, my job is not finished here, so that’s my mindset.
Q. You’re now set to play in the biggest match on the biggest court in the biggest tournament. The other day you were talking your favorite show is the Big Bang Theory. Do you think this is a kind of a big bang?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Someone made that really lame joke a few days ago. I called him out on it. So I’m going to have to say that was really lame again.
I’m just trying my best, you know. Just, like I said, so excited. This is what I’ve worked my whole life for.
Q. How much did nerves come into play on the match points at the end? Was it more so than in the other semis just because victory was at hand maybe?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I mean, I think there were a little bit of nerves, but I’ve had that, you know, in my previous match. Before each match I’m a little bit nervous, which I think is normal. I think everyone is.
I wouldn’t say it affected me that much. I was feeling pretty calm on the inside and kind of took the whole situation, you know, like I said, as a challenge. I really wanted to prove to myself, okay, there was a little mess-up or something, but I can do this.
On the changeover I was very calm. I thought to myself, I can do this. I just went out and tried to play some good tennis.
The tennis was not great the whole match, you know. It was a bit up and down, I think. But I’m happy, you know, I could play some good points at the end.
Q. Do you have any unusual fitness regimes? I understand you do hurdles and also run dragging weighted sleds behind you?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, those are not fun. I haven’t done those, you know, during the tournament. Usually we keep it more just kind of day-to-day managing, not so much intense fitness.
But I enjoy working hard. I love a good gym session.
I wouldn’t say I do anything odd. But, you know, lots of squats, lungs, dead lifts, all that good stuff. It’s getting really physical nowadays, the game, so you’ve got to be, like, in top shape.
Q. As someone who has played the full two weeks here, can I ask how key for you the middle Sunday is? Is it something you quite enjoy?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I enjoy it. I think it’s a quaint tradition that Wimbledon has. I know this year it was kind of frustrating for some players just because they couldn’t play because of the rain. Then of course it’s sunny on Sunday and no one can play.
But I think it’s nice to keep these traditions. So many tournaments don’t have, you know, important traditions that they keep, and Wimbledon does. Along with the all white, all that stuff.
I think it’s so unique, so I love it.
Q. A lot of people are comparing you to Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova, saying you’re the big money-maker on the women’s tour. What are your thoughts on that?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I see it two ways. I see it as a compliment to be compared to someone like Sharapova who has won five slams. You know, she’s a great champion. I see it in a positive light.
But also I’m my own person. I don’t want to be, you know, the next someone else. I want to be the first of me. You know, I want to be my own individual person. That’s what I do. You know, I’ll try to make my own history.
Q. When you think about Petra Kvitova, what do you remember of her winning Wimbledon? What are your thoughts on the challenge of facing her now?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I think it will be my toughest match yet. I’m looking forward to the challenge.
I know she obviously likes the grass and has some good weapons, so I will be ready for those. I’ll try to impose my own weapons and game against her.
I think we’ll both be going at it, which will make for a very good, you know, match.
