Wildcard Eugenie Bouchard is determined to leave nothing on court when she takes on reigning French Open champion Simona Halep in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
The victory set up a fifth encounter with Halep, the former world No 1 who jumped a spot into second place in the rankings on Monday following her runner-up finish in Doha at the weekend.
The Romanian currently leads the head-to-head 3-1, notching wins at marquee tournaments such as the 2014 WTA Finals, the 2014 BNP Paribas Open, and last year’s Australian Open.
Bouchard’s only success came during her breakout year in 2014, in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. The former world No 5, now ranked 80, therefore knows well the task that waits in Round 2, although she prefers not to cast the mind back to their most recent meeting. In Melbourne 13 months ago, Halep ran out a 6-2, 6-2 winner in the second round. Halep went all the way to the final before losing to Caroline Wozniacki.
“That wasn’t a really good match for me so I don’t want to think about that, or really compare myself at different time periods,” Bouchard said. “It’s just about going out there and trying to give it my all and give myself the best chance.
“I don’t want to have any regrets after, no matter what happens. That’s really my No 1 goal."
Bouchard, 24, came into Dubai suffering the ill effects of a cold from Qatar last week - she lost in the qualifiers - and subsequently has had to adjust her practice. In Halep, she faces one of the most accomplished counter-punchers in the game, and said she recognises she must then be on top of her own game if she is to stand any chance of progressing.
“It was interesting [against Lapko], I actually asked [my coach] if I was being aggressive enough, because it felt like I wasn’t,” Bouchard said. “I was also ready to expect big shots from my opponent.
“Whereas in the next match I’ll have to try and take it to her a little more, but of course still have that consistency. Finding that balance is definitely one of the most crucial things.
“It’s about having that consistency and the aggressiveness because I know I play my best when I go for it. But picking the right ball is important and that helps me to stay consistent. I’ll try to figure it all out.”
Bouchard said experience has allowed her to flit between her strategies during matches.
"I was definitely like that more in the past but I did well," she said. "But the awareness is more now I'm getting older. I’m at least realising ‘OK I'm maybe a bit more aggressive or less aggressive’, whether it’s want I want to do or not, to just be aware of it and decide 'OK, if I need to change something.' It'll be important for me to realise this in the next match and to adjust if necessary.”
Cryopreservation: A timeline
Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
Ovarian tissue surgically removed
Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
Manifest cargo
Excess luggage in the hold
Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
