Eugenie Bouchard has reached her second WTA final of the season in Kuala Lumpur at the BMW Malaysian Open. After falling to Alize Cornet in her first appearance in a final this season in Hobart, the Canadian hopes to win more than 3 games tomorrow this time as she will face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the last act.
The 2014 Wimbledon runner-up only needed 76 minutes to get rid of Brit Naomi Broady in the semis, winning by 6-4 6-3. Eugenie started both sets breaking early on, having chances to close easily losing just two games, but failing twice to build on her chances and letting the match last longer. Precise from the baseline, Bouchard managed to show glimpses of that tennis which brought her rapidly under the spotlight two years ago, when she reached the semis or better in all first three Grand Slams of the season. The form isn’t close to what seen in 2014, but Bouchard is slowly working her way to the top of the game. On Sunday she will be bidding to win a second WTA title after conquering her first 2 years ago in Nurnberg. With the win, the 12th in her season (placing her second in the list for more wins in 2016 after Agnieszka Radwanska who leads with 13) on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur, Eugenie is sure to climb back in the top 50 starting on next Monday.
In the first semi-final of the day, Elina Svitolina didn’t let pressure get in her way despite being blatantly favourite to win her match against World No.190 Lin Zhu. The Ukrainian won by 6-3 6-3 qualifying for her first final of the 2016, the first with Justine Henin as part of her team. It is Elina’s 4th WTA final, the first in almost a year, after winning in the last act of Marrakesh in 2015. With a win tomorrow against Bouchard, Elina will be able to pass Victoria Azarenka in the WTA rankings reaching a new career-high as World No.14.
