Eugenie Bouchard dominates Simona Halep; advances to Wimbledon final

Third time's a charm for Eugenie Bouchard. 

After taking her grand slam semifinal lumps at the Australian and French Opens earlier this season, Bouchard avenged her defeats at Wimbledon, becoming the first Canadian to advance to a major singles final with a 7-6, 6-2 victory over third-seed Simona Halep. 

The victory affords the rising star the opportunity to win her first major championship on the grounds where she first made a name for herself; Bouchard won the junior girl's championship at the All England Club just two years ago. 

Bouchard battled her serve early and gave up a break, but momentum quickly swung into the Canadian's favor on a break point of her own. Chasing a ball deep in her back court, Halep inverted her left ankle and buckled her knee after sending a return into the net. The point would square the match as Bouchard captured her first lead a game later. 

Halep's movement, touted by Bouchard before the match, appeared to be compromised by the tape that shrouded her legs. She fought her way into a first-set tiebreak, but was unable to find an answer when Bouchard utilized the entire court. 

In the second set, Bouchard was handed a break after an exchange of holds when Halep double-faulted. With her confidence brimming, Bouchard earned a second break two games later and had Halep at her mercy. 

Bouchard required a sixth match point to finally put Halep away, but the result, as her near stoic celebration would suggest, grew increasingly certain as the match wore on. 

Win or lose Saturday against Petra Kvitova (who defeated Lucie Safarova in Thursday's other semifinal), Bouchard will jump into the top ten and become the highest-ranked Canadian woman singles player in the country's history.