Singles final, not before 2.30pm
(7) Alize Cornet (FRA) v Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)
Head-to-head: Bouchard leads 2-1
Frenchwoman Alize Cornet has been ranked as high as No.11, is a two-time Olympian and four-time WTA Tour singles champion. Her opponent in today’s final is Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, a former world No.5 and Wimbledon finalist.
Both have soared to great heights in their careers, but it has been a while since either has held aloft a WTA Tour title. Cornet won her most recent title in Poland in April 2014, while Bouchard won her sole title in Germany in May 2014. It is a drought one of them will end today.
The Hobart International is just Bouchard’s second tournament in a comeback from a forgettable 2015 that was prematurely ended by injury. She spoke about having “no expectations” before for her first match, but her form and confidence has been building every time she has stepped on court this week.
Bouchard described the first set of yesterday’s win over third seed Dominika Cibulkova as her best level in a long time, an omnious sign for Cornet ahead of today’s final.
> Read Bouchard’s pre-tournament thoughts
When media quizzed her about next week’s Australian Open after yesterday’s semifinal, Bouchard made it clear her focus was on winning the Hobart International.
“Events like these are considered warm-up events but I still want to do as well as I can each week. To me, a tournament is a tournament and I want to win every tournament I play,” she said.
After a disappointing 2015 season that saw her fall out of the world’s top 20, Cornet admitted her Hobart run was also “unexpected”. The No.42 ranked Frenchwoman has played Bouchard three times, winning their first match in 2013 but lost twice to her in 2014. Cornet said she was taking little from these past matches.
“We were both at our best then, so this is totally different one and a half years later,” she said. “I don’t know what to expect of this match.”
Cornet, who lost only eight points on serve in a dominant semifinal win yesterday, rates herself a good chance against the No.47 ranked Bouchard.
“It’s going to be a really hard match, I know it. But it’s a final, so there is a lot of emotion going on so we will see who will handle it the best,” Cornet said.
“I know a little bit how to play against her, but it’s going to be hard to do it. She is hitting the ball much better than last year for sure now she has confidence again.
“I think I have the game to bother her, but I have to do it really 100 per cent perfect. It’s a good challenge for me and I like challenges.”
Semifinal match reports: Cornet, Bouchard
Bouchard is aiming to become the first Canadian player to win the Hobart International, while Cornet could become our second French champion. The last was Julie Halard-Decugis in 1996.
> View the honour roll of former champions
> Getting to know Alize Cornet
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