Bouchard might 'Never Say Never' to Bieber

Twenty-year-old becomes first Canadian to reach the final of a Grand Slam event

Eugenie Bouchard would like to think fellow Canadian Justin Bieber is noticing her run to the Wimbledon final.

After Bouchard won her semifinal on Thursday, the 20-year-old was asked whether she thinks pop star Bieber is aware she is the first tennis player from Canada to reach a Grand Slam title match.

"I hope so," she said with a smile. "I'm putting in so much hard work. I want to see this hard work rewarded."

At the Australian Open in January, Bouchard was asked during an on-court interview who she would like to go out on a date with - and she quickly gave Bieber's name. He responded by sending a tweet wishing her good luck.

And that is why Bieber, whose hits include Baby and Never Say Never, was brought up by a reporter at Bouchard's news conference on Thursday.

When Bouchard was teasingly asked whether Bieber has been in touch with her during Wimbledon, she said he hadn't and laughed.

"You know," Bouchard said, going along with the joke, "he's kind of been in trouble recently".

Then, she said: "I'm not associated with that at the moment. But, you know, if he cleans up his image ..."

Bieber is scheduled to go on trial in July in Miami on charges he was driving under the influence and without a valid driver's license. He has also been charged in Toronto with assault. Last month, Bieber apologized after a years-old video surfaced showing him telling a racist joke.

Bouchard, who will face Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in Saturday's final at the All England Club, also was asked whether Bieber might be Royal Box "material" at Centre Court, where actors and singers mix with sports stars and monarchs.

"He's not?" Bouchard said, grinning. "They really wouldn't allow him in the Royal Box if he came? I feel like he would manage to get himself in there somehow."

OK, well if Bieber can't make, who would Bouchard want to see in that VIP area?

"Um, that's a tough question," she said. "I would love, like, to see Oprah there."

Meanwhile on the court, Bouchard could have lost her focus after the fourth game of her semifinal, when play was delayed for five minutes during Simona Halep's medical timeout for a left ankle injury.

Bouchard also could have gotten sidetracked when action was halted again, smack-dab in the middle of a tiebreaker, because an ill spectator was being attended to in the Centre Court stands.

And everything really could have unraveled for Bouchard later, as she let match point after match point slip away. Able to steel herself time and again, the singular-of-purpose Bouchard eventually beat the French Open runner-up 7-6 (5), 6-2.

"I'm able to not worry about the distractions," Bouchard said. "What I do well is I really don't let it get to me or affect me."

Meanwhile, her opponent in the final is also singularly focused.

"I know how (it feels) when you hold the trophy," Kvitova said, "so I really want to win my second title here, and I will do everything (so) I can."

As of now, the 24-year-old Kvitova is the only man or woman born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title. If Bouchard becomes the second, she also would be the youngest major champion since Maria Sharapova was 19 at the 2006 US Open.

"It's what I've worked so long for," Bouchard said, without a hint of irony.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMP LI AND COACH SPLIT

Two-time major champion Li Na and coach Carlos Rodriguez are parting ways after nearly two years together.

Li's agent, Max Eisenbud, says Rodriguez is no longer able to travel on the circuit. Instead, Rodriguez will spend more time at his tennis academy in Beijing.

In August 2012, Li hired Rodriguez, who used to coach seven-time Grand Slam title winner Justine Henin.

Rodriguez helped Li win this year's Australian Open, which she added to her championship at the 2011 French Open. She is the only tennis player from China to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Li lost in the first round at Roland Garros in May and in the third round at Wimbledon last week.

(China Daily 07/05/2014 page15)