The quarter-final match between Maria Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard in the Australian Open promises to be a stylish affair, both in terms of the expected quality of the Tennis and the colourful nature of the apparel each of the players seems likely to wear. Bouchard was asked earlier in the week to provide a 'twirl' as she sported a particularly bright outfit, while the fashion connoisseurs have long been attracted to the Russian's garb on and off court. While the sexist gibes will no doubt linger on in the background, the two players will aim to demonstrate that their tennis ability deserves all of the attention instead.
Both of them qualified from their last-16 matches earlier today, with the former Wimbledon champion Sharapova looking to be the more dominant form-wise, after her comfortable victory over China's Shuai Peng 6-3 6-0. The number two seed has never previously lost to the young Canadian, Bouchard, having beaten her on three occasions, but their last encounter suggested that the gap was getting narrower with a 2-1 victory for Sharapova. That match was in the semi-finals of the French Open on a clay court last year, so might not be the best guide to the likely outcome when she renews hostilities with last year's Wimbledon runner-up. They did play each other on a hard court back in 2013 in Miami, when the more experienced player came through in straight sets for the loss of only two games.
She can expect a far tougher test one expects this time around.
Number seven seed Bouchard had a topsy-turvy success over the unseeded Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu in her match today, breezing through the first set for the loss of just one game, but then seemingly coming unstuck in the second as she lost it 7-5. Normal service was resumed in the third as she convincingly took it 6-2.
She will seek to eliminate such inconsistent play one feels, to make her mark on the higher seed in the quarter-final match.
One Romanian who did qualify for the quarter-finals today was the dangerous number three seed, Simona Halep, who had little trouble in defeating Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 6-2.