Bouchard loses in Bell Challenge, Wozniak withdraws

Young Canadian defeated in a marathon-match

Canadian Eugenie Bouchard was eliminated from the WTA Bell Challenge Thursday night in Quebec City.

Bouchard, a native of Westmount, Que., lost  in a close three set match 6-7 (2) , 6-2, 6-7 (4) to Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic.

Bouchard also learned moments before her contest that she would play her doubles match against Heather Watson and Alicja Rosolska on an hour’s rest.

Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, who was slated for the Thursday 8:30pm match on centre court against Melanie Oudin, withdrew from the tournament due to a right-shoulder injury.

This caused Bouchard’s doubles match to be rescheduled prematurely.

Wozniak will have an MRI Friday morning.

Bouchard, the 18-year-old Quebecois, was imposing from the start, with three aces in an opening service game.

A talented junior player who became the first ever Canadian to win a junior grand slam, she looked unfazed by her experienced opponent, and was only broken once in the first set.

But she unfortunately lost serve three times in the tiebreak and lost the opening set.

The Westmount teenager responded fiercely in the second set, and made quick work of the No. 8 seed. At 2-2, she broke Hradecka twice and won four consecutive games, sending the match to a final set.

Down 3-4 in the third, Bouchard failed to hold serve and gave her opponent a commanding 5-3 lead and a great opportunity to serve out the match.

But with a sellout crowd cheering her on, the young Canadian showed no sign of nerves and battled back, sending the game to a deciding tiebreak.

Bouchard jumped to a 2-0 lead but then dropped the next three points. Ultimately, the power and experience of Hradecka prevailed, and the 27-year-old closed out the two-hour 24 minute match.

There was little time for reflection as Bouchard then headed back to centre court for doubles match, where she and partner Irina Falconi  lost in straight sets 6-7 (4), 3-6.

There are now no Canadians left in the home tournament.

About this article

By: Stefan Anderson
Posted: Sep 14 2012 10:03 am
Edition:
Filed under: Other Sports Sports