French Open 2014: Eugenie Bouchard stops idol worship as she prepares to fight Maria Sharapova

Respect: Eugenie Bouchard admired Sharapova from a young age

4 June 2014

One of Eugenie Bouchard’s prized possessions is a picture of her with Maria Sharapova and now she will battle her idol for a place in the French Open Final.

The 20-year-old Canadian had her picture taken with the Russian in Miami when she had just started playing the sport and since bursting onto the scene last year Bouchard has been called the “next Sharapova”.

However, the current version is not ready to give up her position and the 27-year-old is in her fourth successive French semi-final, highlighting the challenge now facing Bouchard.

The 18th seed, who reached the semi-final at the Australian Open, said: “To be seen as the next of someone who has won four Grand Slams and has been No1 in the world is a compliment.

“I remember watching her in the finals of Wimbledon and thought what she was doing was so cool and I wanted to do the same thing when I was seven or eight.

“She was a source of inspiration for me at the time.

“I respect her but now we’re in the semis of a Grand Slam, I am not going to put her too high on a pedestal. I will really just battle.”