Eugenie Bouchard and Petra Kvitova will contest the Wimbledon final after both claimed commanding victories on Thursday. Bouchard continued her relentless march to the top of the women's game by defeating Simona Halep to reach her first grand slam final at Wimbledon. It was a meeting of the two most improved players on the circuit but, after Halep's run to the French Open final, this time it is Bouchard who will bid for a first slam title when she takes on Petra Kvitova on Saturday. Luck was certainly on 20-year-old Bouchard's side, with Halep turning her ankle early in the match and then seeing a net-cord go against her at a crucial stage of the tie-break. The second set was all Bouchard and the Canadian, the only player to reach the semi-finals at every slam so far this season, clinched a 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 victory after an hour and 35 minutes.
Kvitova powered into her second Wimbledon final just two weeks after a hamstring injury cast doubt on her involvement. The 2011 champion saw off Czech compatriot Lucie Safarova in straight sets to reach her second grand slam final. Kvitova prevailed 7-6 (8/6) 6-1 against 27-year-old Safarova, who always looked slightly overawed in her first grand slam semi-final. The 24-year-old Kvitova was forced to withdraw from her Eastbourne quarter-final with Britain's Heather Watson on June 19 due to hamstring problems. She then faced a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon, and has had her thigh heavily strapped throughout the tournament. Any ill effects are hardly showing though, with the world number six dropping just one set - against Venus Williams in the third round - en route to the final.
