Montreal’s Eugenie Bouchard Stuns Ana Ivanovic at Wimbledon

Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard recorded the biggest win of her career with a stunning 6-3 6-3 win over Ana Ivanovic. Al Dannity reports on the amazing feat for the 19 year old.

Let’s take a trip back in time to, oh, yesterday. On Tuesday I said “Ivanovic has the talent to tear Bouchard up but also the unpredictability to allow the +325 underdog into the contest.” I won’t even allow myself to say I hedged. Bouchard wasn’t allowed into the contest, she took charge and dominated the former French Open champion and this year’s 12 seed at Wimbledon. I wasn’t the only one who doubted her chances. According to our stats, 99 per cent of the betting action on this match went with Ivanovic. The money said Bouchard couldn’t win, the stats tell you why she did.

Ivanovic had the edge in winners and unforced errors but Bouchard could see areas her youth and speed would give her an edge. At the net Bouchard won 5 of 6 points. On break points she was clinical, taking 5 of 7 to the Serbian’s 2 of 5. Points off first serve proved a huge factor in this game. Both players matched up well on first serves in but Bouchard won 81 per cent of points off her first serve compared to just 52 per cent for Ivanovic. To put it in simple terms, Ivanovic won in the areas where a veteran can expect to have an edge. Bouchard punished her mercilessly in parts of the game where she could bring an aggressive streak.

The result, in only the Montreal native’s second ever match at SW19, could have opened up the draw for her but she’s in the wrong place to benefit. The bottom half of the draw had already suffered some attrition prior to this match but the Canadian won’t be in a position to benefit unless she makes an improbable run to the quarter finals. Bouchard’s next test, against 19 seed Carla Suarez Navarro, will be daunting as it’s common for players to come back down to earth following a career win. If Bouchard can keep her head, the road only gets tougher, with third seed Petra Kvitova on schedule to meet her in the fourth round. The highest seed left for any possible quarter final match is 16 seed Jelena Jankovic, a player prone to hot and cold streaks and by no means a cert to make it to the weekend.

Draw permutations and what-ifs can wait for another day. Today is one where Bouchard can celebrate. She’s beaten a former world number 1 and she did so in the biggest tournament of them all.