Cornet to bother Bouchard in Hobart final

Eugenie Bouchard seems easily irritated and Alize Cornet intends to be as much of a pest as possible when the pair clash on Saturday in the final of the Hobart International.

In her semi-final win on Friday, former world No.5 Bouchard’s temper flared as she took out her frustrations on her racquet, leaving a disfigured frame on the court.

That was halfway through her 6-1 4-6 6-4 defeat of world No.37 Dominika Cibulkova, a match the crowd-favourite Canadian said left her happy but at times disgusted.

“I definitely want to control my emotions a little bit better,” Bouchard, 21, said after the match.

Nevertheless, it’s a good result for the now-world No.47 who says she’s reached her best form since returning from an injury-enforced absence, and maybe even since her 2014 top-10 ranking.

“I can’t remember the last time I played that well,” Bouchard said of Friday’s win.

“But now obviously, the important thing is trying to keep that and have that consistently.

“I didn’t hold (serve) once in the second set which is absolutely disgusting.”

In contrast, Cornet sailed through her 54-minute semi-final 6-1 6-1 against Sweden’s Johanna Larsson.

While Cornet was pleased with her clinical performance, the shine was taken off the victory when Larsson withdrew from a later doubles match with a thigh injury which she presumably had carried through the singles semi.

Cornet is ranked five places higher, but history makes Bouchard the favourite for Saturday’s title decider, with the Canadian having won the two most recent of the duo’s three meetings.

“This is totally different,” Cornet said.

“It’s different because it’s a final. There’s much more going on during a final.”

And the 25-year-old goes in confident.

“I think I have the game to bother her but I have to do it really 100 per cent perfect,” Cornet said.

“It’s a good challenge for me and I like challenges.”

The final is scheduled for 2pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

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