Hobart was abuzz with anticipation for the tournament debut of Eugenie Bouchard and the Canadian star did not disappoint.
Bouchard produced a dominant performance to eliminate former finalist Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2 6-1 in 57 minutes on centre court this afternoon.
“I was feeling pretty solid out there,” Bouchard said.
“The foundation of my game is to be really aggressive, but I also want to have that balance with consistency and I think I did a good job of that today.”
Bouchard produced some scintillating forehand winners, as she lost just 14 points on serve in the match. It was the former world No.5’s first win in three attempts against the more experienced American.
“It was nice to get a win against her finally,” Bouchard said. “She’s a great player and I was really aware that when she came to the net she is really solid, so I was just always trying to pass her.”
Bouchard thanked the crowd for their support.
“They were cheering for me and I saw some Canadian t-shirts and flags, so it’s always nice to see that,” she said. “I love feeling the support when I go to tournaments around the world.”
> Read about Bouchard’s thoughts on her Hobart visit
Bouchard told press after the win she was feeling good.
“The most important part right now for sure is feeling healthy and I walked off the court feeling healthy, and that’s a very good positive sign,” she said.
Her next opponent is eighth seed Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium.
“I just want to continue my form and hopefully play well again tomorrow,” she said.
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