Bouchard serves notice she’s back on track
Canadian into quarter-finals at season opener
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard has reached the quarter-finals at the season-opening ASB Classic for the second year in a row.
Bouchard, ranked 262nd in the world after a 2019 season in which she tumbled down the rankings, downed No. 8 seed Caroline Garcia of France 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., needed an hour and 28 minutes to get by the Garcia, who is ranked No. 46 in the world.
“I had no expectations [before the tournament],” said Bouchard, who reached her career-high No. 5 ranking in 2014.
“I kind of want to continue having no expectations result-wise. I have expectations on myself, my actions and what I try to do on the court. But my ranking’s dropped and I try to see it as I’m rebuilding and in a way have no pressure. I just want to leave it all out there and go for it.
Bouchard, who lost 12 straight first-round matches at one point last year, will face No. 3 seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States in the quarter-finals.
Along with reaching the singles quarter-finals in Auckland last year, Bouchard also captured the
ASB Classic doubles title with American Sofia Kenin.
“It’s special. Auckland has always been good to me,” said Bouchard, who got a wild-card entry into this year’s tournament. “I’m happy to be here. Just grateful I have another day alive, another match to play.”
Bouchard converted on three of 11 break-point opportunities against Garcia and saved four of five break points while serving.
The Canadian won 72.5 per cent of her points on first serve, giving her the edge on Garcia (61.7 per cent).
Bouchard opened the season Monday with 7-5, 7-5 win over Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens in the first round.
It was Bouchard’s first victory above a 125K event (the lowest level on the WTA Tour) since last February in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki prolonged their one-time-only doubles partnership Wednesday when they advanced to the semifinals.
Playing together for the first time in their careers, Williams and Wozniacki beat top-seeded Johanna Larsson and Caroline Dolehide 6-2, 6-1.
The pair will not play together at the Australian Open, which will be Wozniacki’s final Grand Slam tournament before retirement. So the Auckland tournament offers the only chance for fans to savour the sight of two former No. 1 players playing as a partnership.