LONDON -- Billie Jean King said she believes Wimbledon finalists Petra Kvitova and Eugenie Bouchard are creating one of the most exciting times in women's tennis in decades.
King ought to know. She helped start the Women's Tennis Association more than 40 years ago.
Kvitova, a 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, and Bouchard, a 20-year-old Canadian, are from a generation of fitter and stronger players who have "closed the gap on power and belief" with their older contemporaries, King said.
"They have definitely caught up," King said. "Women have more confidence overall. Serena [Williams] is not in the same place as she was. She's a little more vulnerable.
"The men have had their 'Top 4.' Now we've got a lot of younger women who want to be here. They like the showtime."
That can certainly be said for Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion, and Bouchard, the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final.
Today's matchup is the first Grand Slam final to feature two players born in the 1990s. Kvitova is the only player born in that decade to win a Grand Slam, while Bouchard is just the fourth player born in the 1990s to reach a Grand Slam final. The others are French Open runner-up Simona Halep and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 U.S. Open runner-up.
Bouchard, the 13 seed, is the only woman to have advanced to all three Grand Slam tournament semifinals this year, and she would be the youngest Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova won the 2006 U.S. Open at 19 if she defeats Kvitova today.
Bouchard finished 2013 ranked 32nd and is projected to improve to No. 7 -- the highest ranking for a Canadian woman -- after reaching today's final.
"I feel like my job is not done here," she said after defeating Halep 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the semifinals. "So there's no need for a huge celebration because, you know, I'm still working."
Kvitova and Bouchard have faced each other only once, with Kvitova easily defeating Bouchard 6-3, 6-2 on hard courts in Toronto, but Kvitova knows she has her work cut out today.
"Bouchard is playing a very solid game," she said. "She's a very good mover. She's nearby the baseline. I think it's very similar to my game. I beat her for the first time last year, but it's long time ago. This is totally different.
"I really have to be focusing on everything and try to push her."
Kvitova, the No. 6 seed, has been playing at her best as well. She defeated Lucie Safarova 7-6 (6), 6-1 to advance to the final. Kvitova's size and power make her a formidable opponent for anyone on the quick grass at Wimbledon, and she has made perennial trips to the quarterfinals or beyond since 2010.
She has won 25 of her past 28 matches at the tournament.
"She has good shots which are very powerful compared perhaps to opponents I played in the tournament," Bouchard said. "I think she will try to attack, but I will try to do the same thing. I think both of us will try to put pressure on each other. I think it will be important to start the points well on serve and on return.
"It will be the first shots that decide the match."
Sports on 07/05/2014