By Bill Simons
After Genie Bouchard defeated Simona Halep 7-6(5), 6-2 to reach the finals of Wimbledon, Inside Tennis spoke with her coach, Nick Saviano:
What did Genie Bouchard show you out there today on Wimbledon’s Centre Court?
You know this, Bill, it’s nothing that I haven’t seen before. I felt that she played really well at times and not as well as she could other times. So it’s a work in progress, to make sure she continues to play Genie Bouchard tennis. She wants to continue improving.
What is Genie Bouchard tennis?
Aggressive, taking the the ball early, big serving, big returning, and dictating play.
In the final she’s going up against Petra Kvitova, an experienced player who loves this court—a past champion who kicked butt today.
She doesn’t care. We have great respect for the opponent, but don’t care if she has experience or if she likes the court. Its irrelevant to us. The only thing that’s relevant is what Genie will expect tactically from the girl. It’s just about Genie being the best she can be. You know what, if she goes out and plays to the best of her abilities, that’s all she can do. We’ll let the result take care of itself.
What about tactics? Petra’s a lefty with a big serve and a huge forehand.
No. I will watch , but really, it will come down to serving, returning, and the first shot.
Your mantra has been “stay in the moment.” Now she will be in the biggest match on the biggest stage in the biggest tournament in the game. She’s just 20. What will you tell her?
Same thing as today, same thing as in the French Open, same thing as at the Australian. That’s where having the recent experience in those big matches really helps. Because she’s gotten that experience, the final will not be like her being in a big match for the first time.
We will have a day tomorrow, we will talk. She’ll be ready to go and not be overwhelmed by the moment.
Her level wasn’t its very best today. There were a couple of little bumps. Still, what were you most proud of about Genie today?
As always, Genie fights, she competes, she is going give you 100 percent. It’s so admirable that she will push herself.
If the tennis gods came to Nick Saviano and said, “Choose just one word or phrase to explain Genie Bouchard,” what would it be?
Committed to excellence.
