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A Bouchard Wimblewin could be huge for WTA
10 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Eugenie Bouchard is a unique sensation for tennis. Her “Genie’s Army” of fans are far more colorful, animated, devoted and prevalent than the fan bases of Serena, Maria or any other star WTA player.
Genie’s Army makes it’s presence felt and seen at all women’s events, most notably the Australian Open.
For Bouchard to have inspired such devotion and adoration from her growing fan base is nothing short of phenomenal.
Can you imagine how big the bandwagon’s popularity will grow once Genie starts winning major titles?
It can all start today, with a win against Petra Kvitova in the Wimbledon women’s final.
Players like Kvitova, Schiavone, Stephens, Radwanska, Ivanovic, Azarenka, etc. are all popular and enjoyable to watch, but Eugenie Bouchard is different, she has already shown signs that she has the potential to be a massive, transcending star.
Bouchard, with her attractive looks, aggressive playing style and media/fan friendly personality can become a global sensation like Anna Kournikova and Gabriela Sabatini…or beyond…
Just something to think about while you watch today’s hard hitting final.
Is this the beginnig of a new age?
Dan Markowitz · July 5, 2014 at 2:19 pm
I was going to post before today’s match that I thought the euphoria over Bouchard’s game was overdone. The comparisons to Seles are half-baked. Bouchard is a nice player and I like her approach, fearless, to the game, but I don’t see a transcendent talent when I watch her play.
For a women’s final to last only 55 minutes and to be so lopsided is a big condemnation of the women’s game. When was the last classic women’s match? There are new faces on the scene in Halep and Bouchard now, but even with Kvitova’s re-emergence, there’s a big lull in the women’s game now.
Andrew Miller · July 5, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Bouchard got schooled. I thought it would be an upset. I think wta has more going on than atp in term of rankings flux etc new players etc but a blowout like that does set the record straight- wta new guard is same as atp new guard in that it is arriving to the winners circle on the late train.
Harold · July 5, 2014 at 3:07 pm
Like Bouchard, but was turned off by the media darling crap. Against Halep, I dont think they mentioned Halep, until the 3rd game.
Nice player, but like Dan, I dont see anything that blows you away about her game. Got blown out today so fast, there was no chance to see if she has a Plan B.
Atleast she did not play the bathroom break/injury timeout ganesmanship play.
Hartt · July 5, 2014 at 7:52 pm
How about credit to Kvitova? She played lights out tennis, with terrific power and accuracy, making some unbelievable shots.
As for Genie Bouchard, she reached the Wimbledon final in her 6th main draw of a major. Chris Evert mentioned that she lost her first Wimbledon final 6-0, 6-3, so Bouchard’s loss today, lopsided as it was, wasn’t the end of the world.
She will continue to develop her game and will have many more opportunities at slam titles.
Don’t agree that there is a big lull in the women’s game right now. There are champions like Sharapova, players who are poised to win more big titles like Kvitova and young up-and-comers like Halep and Bouchard.
Andrew Miller · July 5, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Kvitova was the real story clearly. Media definitely missed it but so did i. I thought she was going to run kvitova into the ground. Tignor attennismagazine had a nice quote. He said bouchard playing inside the court made her seem larger than she wasbut agaist kvitova reality proved otherwise – she was a junior (as in lower ranked smaller in height and less complete) player against a giant and formerwimbledon champ.
Andrew Miller · July 5, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Jack sock wimbledon doubles champ.
Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Kvitova was spectacular today, prime Safin like, prime Kuerten at Lisbon at WTF like, just another level of greatness. Tennis at its best. Bouchard just ran into the wrong player, wrong day. My Romanian friends noticed the same disrespect of Halep, they turned the volume off because they felt Evert was too in love with Bouchard. Halep definitely got the short end of the stick media wise. But she could probably care less, she speaks with her tennis, the way Sampras, Graf and the old Aussies did.
Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2014 at 9:36 pm
Jack Sock continues to win big titles in doubles, he’s a big time player, remember Hewitt had his first major success at US Open doubles, maybe Sock will transfer his doubles greatness to singles like Hewitt. Huge huge win for Sock with Pospisil to beat the Bryans. Monster win. Also Stefan Kozlov is in the boys final, he’s just sixteen.
Harold · July 6, 2014 at 8:44 am
Watching the Rubin/Koz match. Rubin should just change his name to Paul Goldstein now. Think the same kind of career is his destiny
Scoop Malinowski · July 6, 2014 at 8:46 am
Tignor just tweeted Rubin looks about ten years older than Kozlov. McEnroe said Rubin “needs a growth spurt.”