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Centre stage for stars Sharapova and Bouchard

Eugenie Bouchard will take on Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round of the 2016 Australian Open. (AFP PHOTO / MAL FAIRCLOUGH)
26th January, 2015
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In reality, the enduring comparisons between Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova were never more than skin deep.

Those in the burgeoning rivalry between Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard are likely to end up having much more substance.

Bouchard grew up idolising Sharapova and believes she is better placed than ever before to secure a first-ever win over the five-time grand slam champion in Tuesday’s Australian Open quarter-finals.

The most celebrated meeting to date between the pair – both tall, blonde, photogenic and very talented – came at last year’s French Open, when Sharapova triumphed in three sets en route to her second title at Roland Garros.

Just a month later, Bouchard went on to become Canada’s first-ever Wimbledon finalist.

Her profile duly went through the roof, further raising comparisons with Sharapova – the highest-paid sportswoman on the planet.

The Russian world No.2 acknowledges such hype is inevitable, just as it was when she was linked with the photogenic Kournikova – who achieved a career-high top-10 ranking but did not win any singles titles in a career ended prematurely by back injuries.

“When I was coming up I was compared to Kournikova for many years and still occasionally the name comes up in articles,” said the 27-year-old Sharapova when quizzed about the perceived similarities between herself and Bouchard.

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“That’s just part of it, part of the game, part of the business.

“It’s understandable. It is what it is.

“I said when I was still a teenager I didn’t want to be the next anyone – I wanted to be the first Maria Sharapova.

“And that’s how I’ve been through my whole career – we all want to create our own path.”

The seventh-seeded Bouchard brings an impressive 9-1 win-loss record at Melbourne Park into the clash with Sharapova after making a thrilling run to the semi-finals on debut last year.

“We’ve had a couple of matches and a good match last year, which was close, just a tough battle,” said Bouchard.

“I think I’ve progressed a lot since then and I definitely want to keep playing my game no matter what.

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“Really take it to her, go for my shots, that’s what I want to do on the court.

“It’s more fun when I play that way, too.”

The winner will play either No.3 seed Simona Halep from Romania or No.10 Ekaterina Makarova from Russia in the semi-finals.

HOW MARIA SHARAPOVA AND EUGENIE BOUCHARD MATCH UP FOR THEIR AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUARTER-FINAL CLASH AT MELBOURNE PARK ON FRIDAY:

2-MARIA SHARAPOVA (RUS) leads 7-EUGENIE BOUCHARD (CAN) 3-0

2013 Miami, hard, R64, Sharapova 6-2 6-0

2013 French Open, clay, R64, Sharapova 6-2 6-4

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2014 French Open, clay, semi-finals, Sharapova 4-6 7-5 6-2

MARIA SHARAPOVA

Age: 27

Ranking: 2

Career-high ranking: 1 (2005)

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US $US32,730,238 ($A41.63 million)

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Career titles: 34

Grand slam titles: 5 (Australian Open 2008; French Open 2012, 2014; Wimbledon 2004; US Open 2006)

Australian Open win-loss record: 46-10

Best Australian Open performance: champion 2008

EUGENIE BOUCHARD

Age: 20

Ranking: 7

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Career-high ranking: 5 (2014)

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US3,726,035 ($A4.74 million)

Career titles: 1

Grand slam titles: 0

Australian Open win-loss record: 9-1

Best Australian Open performance: semi-finalist 2014

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