Eugenie Bouchard clinched a major victory at the 2017 Mutua Madrid Open on Monday evening, beating former idol and now rival Maria Sharapova in three sets.
The second-round match between the five-time Grand Slam champion and the Nürnberg winner turned out to be every bit as dramatic as expected, as both players spent almost three hours on court during what was a fierce three-set battle.
After losing the first set, Sharapova bounced back in the second and had a lead in the decider, but the Russian was unable to properly take her chances, held back by a troublesome serve and too many errors in key moments of the match.
The second round of the 2017 Mutua Madrid Open will wrap up tomorrow. Keep checking back to Women’s Tennis Blog for more from Madrid all week long.
MORE PHOTOS FROM MADRID:
- Sunday: Sharapova sets up Bouchard clash
- Saturday: Bouchard & Pliskova move on, Keys crashes out
- Friday: Qualifying, main-draw ceremony, All Access Hour
- Thursday: Tie Break Tens exhibition featuring Sharapova, Halep, Keys, Kuznetsova, Radwanska, Puig
Well done Bouchard. Even if she has served her time, WTA should not welcome and promote her so shamelessly …. The message they are giving out is … “as long as you are a star it’s okay with us that you cheated.” This article hear sums it up quite nicely http://www.138mph.com/has-sharapova-done-her-time/
I was so impressed with Bouchard’s defensive skills. I don’t think I have ever seen her move better and be more explosive. Lack of Athleticism is Sharapova’s big weakness. Force her to play defense and you can beat her.
It was a popcorn grudge match of the season. I was expecting Maria to get the upperhand but Genie did play the best tennis of her life. It was a great match. This loss derailed Maria’s progress. She got a WC in the main draw of Birmingham because of her low ranking / result in Madrid.
What a match! And what an amazing surprise, I didn’t think Bouchard had it in her. I hoped she would win but I didn’t believe in it, actually. I really enjoy to have been proved wrong! 🙂
Well, and yes, Sharapova looks like a victim on the photos (very good, as always!) . Like, “oh I’m losing, somebody must have done me wrong…”