Royal waiting game for Eugenie Bouchard

LONDON // Eugenie Bouchard said one of her character flaws is impatience but she was happy to wait "in awe" as Prince William and his wife, Catherine, passed by at Wimbledon.

The 20-year-old Canadian, widely expected to succeed Maria Sharapova as the multimillion dollar poster girl of women's tennis, made her first semi-final at the All England Club on Wednesday.

But her entrance on to Court 1 was delayed when security men ensured she and opponent Angelique Kerber stood to the side so that William and Kate could take their seats in the centre court royal box.

“It was funny, when we walked out from the members’ locker room, all these security guards rushed over to us and were like, ‘nobody move’,” Bouchard said.

“Move your bags to the side. There’s some royals coming through. We’re like, OK, you know.

“So we were just waiting, and then suddenly William and Kate walk by to go on centre court. I was a little bit in awe.

“That was my royal sighting of the day.”

Bouchard has spent large parts of her post-match Wimbledon duties answering questions on the British royal family.

That is hardly surprising given that she and twin sister Beatrice were named after the daughters of Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II.

Princess Beatrice was also in the royal box on Wednesday.

Beatrice Bouchard, who is six minutes older than her sister, was back home across the Atlantic, where she is a university student.

“We are very opposite but very close at the same time,” said the tennis-playing Bouchard.

“It’s interesting, because I think her normal university life, I think that’s really cool because I don’t do it. She obviously thinks my job and what I do is insanely cool.

“So we keep in touch a lot and we’re very close. She’s a huge supporter of me. Same with me for her.

“I get on her about her grades and things like that.”

Bouchard will rise into the top 10 for the first time in her career next week after yesterday defeating Kerber 6-3, 6-4 to make her third semi-final at the majors in 2014.

Confident, photogenic and self-assured, Bouchard is a perfect muse for Wimbledon especially after the demise of Sharapova, who is seven years her senior, in the fourth round.*

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Kvitova touts her experience

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Petra Kvitova said her experience of winning Wimbledon three years ago could be decisive when she faces Lucie Safarova in an all-Czech semi-final at the All England Club.

After shock defeats for Serena Williams, Li Na and Maria Sharapova, sixth seed Kvitova is the only former grand slam title winner left in the women’s draw and that could be a crucial advantage at the business end of the tournament.

Away from Wimbledon, Kvitova, 24, has struggled to sustain the brilliant form she showed in winning her maiden grand slam crown in 2011 with a shock final victory over Sharapova.

But Kvitova comes alive on the grass courts of south-west London, where her booming serve and powerful groundstrokes have made her a serious force.

Thursday’s clash with Safarova will mark Kvitova’s third appearance in the Wimbledon semi-finals and her fifth last-four match at the majors, while, in contrast, her opponent will be breaking new ground as she makes her debut in a last-four tie at a grand slam tournament.

It is an advantage Kvitova hopes to exploit: “Of course it can help me that I will know what I’m doing out there, how nervous I will be, these things. It’s not a very typical experience [to be in a semi-final].

“Of course, to be in a semi-final of Wimbledon is always great for me. Especially when I won it here, I have great memories.

“It’s feeling great. I mean, these feelings are always very emotional for me.”

Kvitova and Safarova’s advances to the semi-finals means there are two Czech women in the last four at a grand slam event for the first time since Hana Mandlikova and Helena Sukova at the 1986 French Open.

The pair, both left-handers, are good pals but having to put aside friendships while on court has become familiar for Kvitova at this year’s tournament.

This will be her third meeting with a fellow Czech after her quarter-final victory over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and a first round win against Andrea Hlavackova.

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Semi-final next stop for Halep

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Romania’s Simona Halep swept into her first Wimbledon semi-final with a crushing 6-4, 6-0 victory over former finalist Sabine Lisicki on Centre Court.

Halep recorded her 250th career win in memorable fashion as the world No 3 dismissed German 19th seed Lisicki, who was beaten by Marion Bartoli in the final 12 months ago, in just 57 minutes.

“I played my best today and I was enjoying every moment. It was incredible to be on centre court. It was just my second time,” Halep, 22, said.

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