Day 5 Tennis: Eastbourne

Today's big match, twice Wimbledon champion against the British number

one. Right left-hand. Holding on desperately to her place in the

world's elite, scorching up the world rankings. It is Johanna Konta

against Petra Kvitova, but who will be the Special K today?

Or some power from Petra. Kvitova survives. I love playing on the

grass. Superb from Konta. Just the opening win for Britain's 11.

Looking forward to the opportunity, hopefully we will give you guys a

good match. Good afternoon from Devonshire Park where sadly it has

been raining, surprise surprise. But after a delayed start, we do have

played, and we will be going live to our first match in a moment's time.

The loneliness of the long-distance spectator, don't you just wish you

had taken out a number other franchise in this rain? We have a

nondescript sky, but a far from nondescript line-up for you. Monica

Puig against Caroline Wozniacki is on court at the moment, we will show

you that shortly. Then Radwanska against Bouchard, and our main focus

today is an bit of against Johanna Konta on Centre Court this

afternoon. The forecast for tomorrow is simply horrendous, although on

Friday on Saturday it is glorious, so we should finish on time as we

head towards Monday and the opening day of Wimbledon, and the seeds have

been announced at the last hour, with Serena Williams not

surprisingly topping the bill in the women's draw. Garbine Muguruza is

second. Petra Kvitova is now outside the world's top ten where she has

been a fixture for so many years. On the second page, Jo Konta is seeded

17, the best British seat since Jo Durie in 1984. In the men's draw,

Andy Murray is at number two, but the main thing about the menstrual

is that the Wimbledon committee have exercised their right to manoeuvre

the rankings a bit because of the grass peculiarities, which means

that Richard Gasquet moves from ten in the world to seven after his

performance last year when he got to the semifinals. Somebody else who

goes up is marrying Cilic, who is 13th in the world rankings but is

seeded nine, and Nick Kyrgios who is outside the world 'stop 16 is seeded

15 because of his performance on the grass. So, more immediately, what

have we got today? This is how the draw looks at Eastbourne, and we are

down to the last 16. It has been ridiculously erratic in terms of the

variation in form. Onto the second page, a lot of less familiar names,

and in fact of the 16 players left in the draw at the only five are

seeds, and it is not inconceivable that we could you down to just one

seed in the quarterfinals when we get to tomorrow. And that will be

Konta or Kvitova, because both of them are seeded here. So let's go

live to the match between two unseeded players, Monica Puig and

Caroline Wozniacki. This match should have started at 11, but it

began 20 minutes or so ago, so they are behind schedule. Commentary from

Anne Keothavong and Sam Smith. ANNE KEOTHAVONG: they have started

at quite a pace here. Monica Puig got off to the better start,

breaking the serve of Wozniacki. But Wozniacki, the former champion,

hanging on here. And Puig, currently ranked at 43 in

the world, ranked 20th in the world recently, really taking it to

Wozniacki. Yes, Monica Puig is a cracking young

player, absolutely fearless. It doesn't matter what surface she

plays on, she always has that aggressive mindset. Wozniacki

digging deep here. That is a real shame, because she

made such a good start. UMPIRE: New balls, please.

It will be fascinating to see this week what sort of Caroline Wozniacki

we will have. She has missed a couple of months through injury.

Monica from Puerto Rico, but based in America.

S that was a lot of information there. He is still going! She does

need some help after such a good start, but it is Wozniacki now down

the early break, up a break and with the new balls.

Always been a fan of this tournament. Champion back in 2009,

and additionally three times a semifinalist here.

Her choice of cuisine last night was Thai, because all of the restaurants

are in walking distance. A lot of people go to that

restaurant, it is popular. Wozniacki was there as well. They are friends,

they hang out a lot. Very strange to see the Dane not

seeded at this event, currently ranked at 37 in the world.

She will be a dangerous floater in the draw for Wimbledon once the draw

comes out, Caroline Wozniacki. She won't be seeded at the

Championships. Yes, real problems this year, started off the year

inside the world's top 20, but all those problems with her right ankle

course to to miss a couple of months.

Yes, sprained her right ankle start of April, so didn't compete at all

during the clay-court season. Made her return in Nottingham on the

grass is ago. Wozniacki doing a great job

absorbing the pace from Puig here. Redirecting the play. Something we

have watched and seen her done for so many years, worked hard in this

set to get into this position, and Puig really from playing the better

tennis of the two, and leading by a break, finds herself serving to stay

in it now. Really does give it a thump. Her

mother, when she was born, named her after Monica Seles.

APPLAUSE It is that bread-and-butter shot,

that backhand. You got Wickmayer how low she stays and how well she stays

through that shot, with her swing. APPLAUSE

Well, a packed house here at Devonshire Park on the Centre Court,

really enjoying a fabulous opening match after having to wait around. I

hear that tickets completely sold out for both the show courts today.

No holding back on that second serve. Even though she was named

after Monica Seles, her idol was Jennifer Capriati, and whatever you

think, both those players gave the ball a hefty whack, didn't they? And

she is following very much in the same vein, really exciting to what.

Does really well to hang on. UMPIRE:, game, Miss Puig. Ms

Wozniacki leads by five games to four. She has had an interesting

development, she was a good junior and made the finals of both the US

Open and Roland Garros. First onto the tour, got up to the top 50, and

then it was like, a few things went wrong, she dropped outside the top

100 and almost had to rebuild again. Do you think she is stronger for

that? I believe she is. She is only 22 years of age, and quite often you

see that with a number of young players, particularly players who

have been successful as juniors. They burst onto the scene when they

hit the pro game, there is really no pressure whatsoever and they can go

out to play with lots of freedom, the other players are not so aware

of them, and their game style, and often that first or second year on

tour is one of their best. But a good test is backing all of that up,

defending those points, building and making improvements in their games,

which is the biggest test, and she has had to do that. She has gone

back to the drawing board, and she is a better player for it. She

started 2016 ranked just in time the world's top 100, Monica Puig, and

now she is back inside the world's top 50, and she had a great start to

the year, qualifying in Sydney just before the Australian Open. Yes, a

very different year to Wozniacki, who even before she got injured were

struggling for wins. But as dogged and determined as ever, she loves it

here at Eastbourne, it would be a great way to reboot her 2016.

Serving over this opening set. It's just got a little behind her

after all that work, and that is what Wozniacki does. She makes you

play one more ball. UMPIRE: Miss Puig has challenged the

ball on the right side. The ball was called out.

Well, the flight looked OK. It is not in a terribly good position for

our commentary box. I'm not sure if it was the linesman? That was a

brilliant call. UMPIRE: The call stands. It brings

up after 49 minutes of excellent play, three set points.

UMPIRE: Game and first set, Ms Wozniacki. What a great way to open

the game here at Devonshire Park. It is Wozniacki who takes the first

set, 6-4. I'm sure there will be a lot of people writing off Caroline.

I don't think you are one, and Edin think any of the players would, do

you? I don't think anyone would enjoy playing her in the first round

at Wimbledon. You are talking about a Grand Slam finalist here, former

world number one, still a great competitor, she shows a lot of

desire out there, and she still wants it, she still feels like she

has got something to prove. Whether we will see her as world number one

again are or a Grand Slam finalist, I'm not so sure, I think in some

ways we have seen the best of Caroline Wozniacki, but that is not

to say that she still isn't capable of causing a big upset and going

deep into the Tour de France. It was only a couple of years ago that she

was a finalist at the US Open, that wonderful match with Serena

Williams, and had a great end to 2014. The form went a little awry.

And obviously with the right ankle, there was also issues with the left

knee earlier this year. That body has run a lot of miles, on and off

the court. You talk about her being hungry, she has hired a new coach

consultant to go alongside her father who has always been there,

the real rock, so when she relies on, Piotr. David Kotyza, he is here

alongside dad. One thing we didn't see from Caroline Wozniacki

yesterday, it was a coach side call. You are allowed to call the coach

on, and even if she is in a winning position, she often calls her

father, who has doubled up as her coach were so many years on for a

pep talk, nothing yesterday. And I wonder, if she wants a pep talk,

would it be him or David Kotyza? We will find out. I hope Puig is not

too disheartened, she is playing wonderful tennis, here she is start

of the second. Might have just caught, Wozniacki

not convinced but not wanting to waste challenge this early the set.

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Puig. Good start to the second, she is battling well,

Monica Puig, and Wozniacki will know that she will still have a lot of

work to do here. They have played a couple of years ago, that was in

Puig's hometown of Miami, and it went three sets them, Wozniacki

winning in the decider. But I have a feeling there is plenty more tennis

here. You must never write Monica Puig off. She is a dangerous,

explosive tennis player. It is a high risk game that she

plays, and very few can hit through Wozniacki, which is what she is

attempting to do out here. I was impressed with the way

Wozniacki served yesterday against Samantha Stosur, a good percentage

and played great conversion. I just wonder having a Czech coach

in David Kotyza, they are very good technicians, all the players have

wonderful timing, I just wonder if he has been brought in just a tidy,

it seems weird talking about a world number one with technical

deficiencies, but there have always been a few hitches in that serve.

She will double fault now, but it does look, you are right, it does

look very smooth, doesn't it? When you talk about a top player

fiddling around with their technique, it is all about subtle,

small changes, it is never too obvious. No, they are not going to

take a crowbar to the technique. That would be a disaster! Once you

have laid a certain way for so many years, it is very tough to change,

make big changes. And what about these small marginal gain?

Clean games in the end for the Dane. She is going nicely, danger from the

other end but she is handling it really well. I just wonder if she is

getting her patterns right. She has been able to mix up her serves very

well, particularly on that ad side. Naturally she prefers that tea

server and the one out wide, the flatter serves.

Sometimes that second serve has a look of something of a lottery about

it. It is almost like a slightly slower version of first serve,

doesn't get a lot of shape or spin on it.

UMPIRE: Let, first service. Drive volley has paid off for Puig.

-- there have been times where that drive volley has paid off.

Deuce. She didn't play to the court. I understand why. Was a mis-hit from

Wozniacki, as if it was drifting wide. It looked like a terrible

lead, didn't it? Not as breezy as was yesterday. Can't blame the wind,

can you? A tough, tough competitor, someone

who didn't really take her tennis to seriously until she was in her

mid-teens and then she decided that's what she wanted to do.

Fabulous! UMPIRE: Game, Miss Pouille. -- Ms

Puig. When you look at these two and how

they've developed, you've got Wozniacki, who was winning junior

Wimbledon at 15 and made up her mind at ten that she wanted to be number

one in the world, and you have Monica Puig who was playing at local

clubs and doesn't come from a sporty family at all, comes from a very

academic family and finished high school, had loads of offers from the

top American, just like Stanford and UCLA and chose to play tennis. Two

very different routes into the game and I'm just wondering, as players

are maturing later, maybe you can stay at school longer and have a

more regular life? I'm a great believer in all young players

staying at school at least until the age of 16 and staying at home for as

long as possible. Having that stability of living at home, being

close to your family, as well as combining your education and

training, I'm a big believer in that and I really don't think there's any

wrong or right way to go about being a professional tennis player. And

often I think there's too much pressure on young kids today to have

a full-time schedule at the age of ten, to be playing five, six hours

of tennis, and trying to compete in other sports as well. It's just too

much, too soon. Just enjoy it! Puig probably won't be playing her best

tennis until she's in her mid-to-late 20s but that's OK.

You're right, the wind has dropped but there is a sort of sea mist

coming across the caught up moment! Strange conditions. Pretty warm and

humid out there. A lot for the players to cope with. Lets hope the

surface stays dry. She's got her regain with that

backhand. -- again. Puig doing a great job to hold her ground here.

Which she wasn't doing in the opening set. She was going way too

early. It's quite interesting. We've just

got what I think is a reliable translation of what her coach said

to her and he actually said to her, "Why aren't you going for it when

you're up in the game?" And she like, "I don't know," and he's told

her to just keep going and keep Wozniacki on the back foot.

It's all about controlled aggression when you're up against Caroline

Wozniacki. You can't just beat her from the back of the court with

these long rallies and long points, and you need to keep going for it

and accept that you will make some errors. Here's what he was telling

her, 15-30, you've got to go for it it But it's OK, you make a few

errors but if it's a positive error, fine. Next point, get on with it.

Didn't totally commit to that return, did she? Allows Wozniacki

some breathing room. Good challenge. She had quite a long

think about it but you know when you've had a good serve... It just

feels good. It is very hard to explain, but you just know. That is

as technical as we are going to get. Did really well from 15-30.

Wozniacki levels up once more. Caroline's just asking about the

court surface because it's hard to see on your screens but this fog

has, over the court, reigning a lot of moisture. -- has come over the

court. That's what's coming over the

courts. It might take a while. As you mentioned, Annie, the wind has

dropped. It doesn't take much for the grass

to start feeling slippery underfoot for the players.

Really convincing service came from Puig and she's still very much in

this second set, this third-round match. The winner of this match,

it's the bottom half of the draw and there's only two seeds in the top

half. The winner will play either Kristina Mladenovic of France or

Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany, both really big hitters. But, Annie, I've

been covering the tennis a very long time and you been on the Torah long

time, have you ever known a year where so many seeds fall before the

second and third round? It's been incredible, from week to week, at

all these tournaments it's been so in predictable. The depth of the

women's game is so much stronger than it used to be. It makes it

tough for fans to follow because you don't have four or five big

superstars like you do in comparison to the men's game but I think it's a

great opportunity for the other players out there. Anything is

possible and it doesn't matter how high your ranking is, what seed you

are in the draw. You've got to be on your garden right from the very

first match you play in any tournament. You are still in touch

with a lot of players on the tour. Is there a feeling in the locker

room that if you are ranked 70 in the world you can still be a top-10

player? Absolutely. On any given day, anything is possible. We've

seen it in the last couple of Grand Slam is, how unpredictable it's been

a doc who would've thought Angelique Kerber would have won the Australian

Open at the start of the year? Anything is possible at Wimbledon.

It makes punditry tricky. Wozniacki is just pacing about, a little

unsure of the service. I wonder if that is what the coach

was talking about. She's just had a look over at him. But you've got to

go for it. You can't hold back. Had a lot of opportunities, many

chances. That's where Wozniacki is

vulnerable. If you can get her moving to that forehand and Russia

on that forehand side, you can draw an error. She's got quite an extreme

grip. She must feel like this match is

very much on her racket but there have been plenty of others before

that have felt the same and have come off the loser.

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Wozniacki. The chances keep sailing by,

Wozniacki levels up once more. Three games all so far in the second set.

Certainly gets that very quickly threw the ball. Has a superfast am.

Back-to-back love service game is for the Puerto Rico and. -- Puerto

It looks like the coaches back on and our translator is at the ready.

What I'm hearing, some of the snippets of information, he feels

that she's doing too much of the running and not enough of the

dictating out there. Wants to get Wozniacki on the move. We might hear

more snippets in just a little while. Our translator is very busy

at the moment. I'm also hearing that the coach

wants his player Monica Puig to be closer to the baseline, doesn't want

her to get caught back behind that baseline. Stay on the baseline.

That's where you can dictate points from.

Oh, dear! Did everything right until the smash.

It's those kind of mistakes that are really costing her in this match up.

Wozniacki gives so little away. More bite behind these returns from

Puig and that's when she can really make an impact it doc Wozniacki

doesn't have the biggest serve, particularly of the biggest serve

return. That's when Puig can look to dictate the point.

That's what the coach asked her to do. She's done it quite brilliantly.

And its Puig who has the first break points in this second set.

Much better second serve from Wozniacki. Just kept moving Roy from

Puig that serve. -- moving away from.

Wonderful returning from Puig and she gets the breakthrough that has

been so expecting and one that she should have had in that opening set.

Had all those chances to lead 4-2, got pegged back and here she is now

turning this match on its head. And will serve to take this into a

deciding set. Anne, what happens on that second

serve? She's got this aggressive mindset behind her and sometimes it

doesn't have to be all out. You can aim in the middle of the box.

Perfectly played, that point. I love the sound of the ball and her

racket strings. It's such a clean hit. Wonderful timing.

Just the one break in this second set. Looks to be enough for Puig.

Two chances for her to close it out. What a turn around from the Puerto

Rican. She levels up and takes the second set 6-3.

STUDIO: We mentioned that this match is running behind schedule because

we lost an hour and a half's later the weather earlier so it means the

match on Court One is the first singles of the day between Cibulkova

of Slovakia and Bondarenko of the Ukraine. And you can see that

Cibulkova has taken the first set 7-6. So this is what the draw looks

like at this stage of affairs. We've got Radwanska against Bouchard to

come up shortly, the winner of that match on Court One will play the

winner of that. And then Mladenovic against Friedsam. Mladenovic is

seeded 32 at Wimbledon. The winner of that match will play the winner

of the game at the moment between Puig and Wozniacki. At the bottom

half of the draw, a lot of big names fell by the wayside. You can see

that there are only three seeds left in the bottom half of the draw

already. Pliskova plays Doi. That's very late, the fourth match on court

want it doc the winner of that will play Brengle or Vesnina, who beat

Bencic last night. And then Kvitova against Konta will be our third

match on Centre Court. Talking of champions, I might just mention the

doubles match that is taking place behind me at the moment tween Sam

Stosur and Lucie Safarova against Martina Hingis and Sammy Mirza who

are the top seeds here, who are ranked two at the moment and it is

gone to a champions' tie-break. But in the way that Men's Doubles can

sometimes be a bludgeoning game, it is an one simple putaway, this is a

fantastic contest with long rallies, really engrossing, and you really

can't get a seat around court to at the moment. And as we head back to

Centre Court, it is busy. Sam was saying that Centre Court and Court

One are sold out today, which is fantastic and for the rest of the

week, ticket sales have been great. I'm sure Anne and some will talk

about it, massive development plans are in the pipeline for here at

Eastbourne and this post will be unrecognisable in three years, with

a lot of the old buildings knocked down and restored and play

facilities improved, so Eastbourne is going to go from, if you like, a

championship tennis tournament to a Premier League tennis tournament in

three years and, Sam, it's going to look very different? It is, there is

going to be a ?44 million investment between the borough council and the

LTA. I've seen the plans they look wonderful. At it looks pretty good

now and it's not often the women play early on in tournaments with a

packed house on Centre Court. This is a special event and particularly

someone like Wozniacki, who has been around for a long time, realises how

lucky they are here. There is a loyal fan base in

Eastbourne, isn't there? They like their tennis here. They are enjoying

this one. This is fascinating. Puig has completely turned this match on

its head. And in a way, in that first set it

was weak playing the better tennis and Wozniacki hanging on and Puig

not quite taking the opportunities. In the second set, it all changed.

And Wozniacki's dad doesn't look worried but who knows how difficult

the next 30 minutes are going to be? Well, she was broken in her opening

service game of the match, almost an hour and a half ago, and still

struggling here behind her serve. Needs to hold.

The former champion really digging in.

Well, it was a superb return from Puig. Wozniacki did well to dig out.

On one or two occasions, we have seen that backhand down the line

from Puig really doing the damage. UMPIRE: Miss Wozniacki is

challenging the call on the right near sideline. The ball was called

out. She is a think about whether she challenges or not, she processes

it first, it is not instantaneous. And that is why, it is very early in

the set. Just to incorrect challenges left for Wozniacki, and

another break from Puig. Fantastic tennis!

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Puig. Gregg first game, final set. Miss

Wozniacki has two challenges remaining. I was thinking when she

was 4-3 up with the new balls in that second set, and said, get up to

the baseline, be more aggressive. He said that was the plan right from

the start, he said the same at the end of the first set as well, but

she teams to have taken it all on board and she is connecting better.

And Wozniacki is backing off a little herself. It is a really

meaningful ball strike. You can forget the game plan in the middle

of the match. It is nice to have a reminder.

Much better from the Dane. Much better aggression from that

forehand. Something she backed off doing in that second set. She

allowed Puig to really dictate points rather than going after it

herself, and it is a natural counterpunch, she has got to step

up, too, when it really matters. Wozniacki pushing back. And a chance

for any immediate break back, you would expect nothing less from the

woman who spent so long as the world number one.

Well, they really have been playing at such a high level right from the

start of the match, very few ebbs and flows. This is such an important

game for Puig to hold. She has done it again.

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Puig. Miss Puig leads by two games to love.

The second serve has been a little bit iffy, but she has done very well

with her first. You can see what she favours going down the tea,

particularly on that induce side. UMPIRE: Let, first service she has

hardly lost any points behind it, really step up.

Clever. I have lost count of the number of times she has been really

able to burn Wozniacki with her backhand down the line. Whether it

has been an outright winner, or whether she has forced up the error

or set up the next ball, it has done a lot of damage today.

And it is a battle between these two as to who can stay upon the baseline

or get themselves inside the baseline to take the ball on and to

rush the opponent. Personally, I think it comes more

naturally to Puig than it does to Wozniacki.

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Wozniacki. Buying us all some time there, but

down a break in this final set, Wozniacki. -- buying herself

sometime. We are midway through this event, we certainly hope the weather

doesn't disrupt it too much tomorrow, but that might be wishful

thinking. With the players that are left at the moment, and this is an

awful question for you, Annie. Are they coupled that you see that might

be featuring on Saturday afternoon? Well, hell innovation

in a while, Eleanor Vesnina, she has done well. And I am fascinated to

see how Eugenie Bouchard performs in her next match against Radwanska. So

far she has taken at Lepchenko in the first round, and she has also

come up against Begu, both comfortable wins for her. I think it

will be a good test her taking on the top seed, as it will be for the

rest of us to see where exactly she is, because we know she can play and

perform. UMPIRE: Time. Are we going to have a

Bouchard - Vesnina final? , chalk you up for that? Hard to say. So

many names to watch out for these days.

UMPIRE: Ladies and gentlemen, take your seat, please. Thank you. The

fans really invested in this one. UMPIRE: Correction, the call was

good. Replay the point. One of those is it was one of those where the

flight looks as if it is going way out, but just held up at the last

moment. And even though we have all the technology, that is what umpires

are supposed to do. Intervene when it is a clear mistake.

UMPIRE: Out. Is she going to challenge? She is

not taking on the umpire on that one. The umpire today, Paula Vieira

Susa. That wasn't challenged, but we can look at Hawk-Eye anyway, and

that was a good decision from Puig. Don't forget you had a couple of

break points in Puig's last service game. She has got three more here.

And all of a sudden, the pendulum has swung back the Dane's way, and

we are level in this deciding set. Well, she knows, her coach knows,

that if this turned into a war of attrition with these long baseline

rallies, it is highly likely that she won't be shaking hands is the

winner. She has ramped up her aggression,

and it is paying off for Wozniacki. That is the way it has got to be. If

she is going to work our way back up in the rankings, back inside the

world top 20, top ten, she needs to step inside that baseline.

That has rather taken the wind out of Wozniacki's sales. She was in a

good position in this game. UMPIRE: Game, Ms Wozniacki. Miss

Puig has requested to see her coach. This Wozniacki leads by three games

to two. And coach one is back on from

Monaco. -- for Monica. Well, that is the last time she can

have him on unless Wozniacki has a bathroom break or takes an injury

time-out. He was saying, care of our translator, more power, but she has

to pick a time and coming at the right time, not get caught out. But

it is very much more of the same, keep going after Wozniacki, keep

getting up on that baseline. Oh, superb from Wozniacki. David

Kotyza, and father Piotr on the right. They look like they get on,

so that is good. I saw dad having a stroll on the seafront this morning.

David seems a little more laid-back than dad. Maybe they haven't worked

out what is going on, maybe they are still deciding. Trying something

different. Going back to the on court coaching,

I was saying to Puig about coming in, coming in at the right time,

that is all easier said than done, because coming forwards for Puig

isn't something that comes naturally. Does she really

understand when the right time is not to come forward?

She is coming forward when she has her opportunities because she is

forceful. It is due to a Wozniacki short ball. We have just seen

exhibit A, but it doesn't terribly comfortable when she is pulled in on

a big point. Those are the mistakes she can't

afford to make at this stage in the match, especially against a

competitor like Wozniacki. Puig under no pressure there whatsoever.

UMPIRE: Game, Miss Puig. New balls, please.

Well, there was some excellent serving that allowed her to get back

in this match and pick up the second set, and some fine deliveries to get

out of that game. That is just coming up to the

two-hour mark, and this court is starting to harden up, starting to

play better. Able to get the ball through it far more easily, and

Wozniacki in a bit of trouble in this game now.

The right shot? She likes to go for broke. She does like her lines,

takes time away from Wozniacki. Happy with the risk.

A great job of cutting the angle off on that return.

This match takes another twist and its Puig who is ahead with the

break. Once again, you feel the on court coaching has done the trick.

Still plays for four at Ricoh, does Monica, despite the fact she left

their when she was one-year-old. -- still plays for Puerto Rico. She is

still very close to her Puerto Rican roots and goes back there every

summer to see her mother's parents. She's like a superstar in Puerto

Rico. They used to be a women's tour event in Poyer to Rico back in the

days of Gigi Fernandez, who ended up playing under the American flag. --

in Puerto Rico. She talks about how committed she is too Puerto Rico,

even though she's lived all her life in Miami. That tournament was before

my time, Sam. I don't remember any tournament in poor to Rico. --

Puerto Rico. The night matches were interesting. A wonderful place. You

missed out, you see! But these days, the players go to so many glamorous

locations, Acapulco... But all you see is your hotel room and the

tennis court! The life of a tennis player. You don't get to see the

seafront, the promenade, the bandstand. You can keep Acapulco and

Monterey! And of course the South Downs are impressive. Did try and

get up there the other day but didn't quite make it.

A change up there from Puig. It's a good sign, isn't it, if you're a

Puig sign, to see Wozniacki scampering about? -- a Puig fan.

How does she get this home from here? She's got to be able to hold

her nerve. She's got to be able to hit her spot on the serve, too, and

not allow Wozniacki to get on that front foot on the return of serve.

UMPIRE: Miss Wozniacki has challenged the call. That wasn't a

thoughtful challenge. That was a frustrated attempt to. The ball is

certainly long on the baseline which is nearest our commentary box.

UMPIRE: Miss Wozniacki has one challenge remaining. That's the best

game she's played in this match. I think the nerves are OK so far.

Wozniacki serving to stay in this third round match.

Going from strength to strength, Miss Puig.

He knows what great scrapper Carolinas. Whatever it takes her to

stay in this match... -- Caroline is.

Well, Wozniacki says, "My car, you're going to have to serve for it

if you want to move through close We talk so much about forehands and

backhands unfitness and all that but I think with these tough players --

top players, toughness, grit is as or maybe more important it I don't

think she gets enough credit for how strong she is mentally. You compare

her to some of the other top players and you could say she is limited in

their abilities in many ways but she's such a great competitor,

Caroline Wozniacki. Sheol was fight for every ball, chases things down

makes life as difficult as possible. You have to beat her when you're up

against her. It will be a good test for Monica Puig to see if she

conserve this one out. There's not much difference between the two in

the rankings at the moment but this would be a huge win for Monica Puig

against a former world number one. You'd put that pretty much near the

top of your CV, wouldn't you? Yeah. And cheese battle hardened this

week, came through two rounds of qualifying, one of those really

tricky three setters. But then very comfortable against Brodie in the

opening match and then against Anna Cognac. One of the class of 97 who

were so talented. Not a bad way to spend your

Wednesday afternoon watching this match. Now, can Puig hold her nerve

and serve out for a place in the quarters?

That's a pretty good start to the game. You'd think at moments like

this, winning the first point of the game is so keen. Tends to set the

tone for the next viewpoints. That was a very late call. She's

only got one challenge left, Wozniacki, so she'd better be right

here. No challengers left for Wozniacki. A

great intervention from the umpire. She's had a great match so far.

The best drop-shot here from Puig. She really broadcast that one. And

didn't close the net after playing. Deep breaths now here for Puig.

Could do with a first serve. This could be two match points for

the Puerto Rican. She went for it, didn't she? If you

are in her player camp, you must have a heart attack with that second

serve. Still has a much point here. That said. What a performance from

Monica Puig, and the qualifier is through to the quarterfinals at

Devonshire Park. Fantastic performance from the 22-year-old.

She really held her nerve at the end. Incredible aggression. She

didn't waver. Played so well in that first set, but what a comeback in

the second, served brilliantly. Just the one break in the second and one

break in the decider. Well, a former champion. I'm sure she'll be here,

bitterly disappointed. As Sportsweek -- as for Puig, she will be another

player in that Wimbledon draw unseeded, who will be dangerous. And

it's such an open section. She will play the winner of either Mladenovic

all Friedsam. They are just starting out over an caught one. Love to hear

what she's got to say. Here she is with Annabel Croft.

Well played, Monica. That was such an incredible contest. Caroline is

such a veritable opponent. What made the difference? It was a really

tough match. There wasn't a lot of room to make a lot of mistakes. She

made me play for every single ball so just being as aggressive as I

could, so I'm really happy with how I played. Things were getting tight

towards the end. You must be pleased with how you served up a match?

Finishing an amazing the way to go sometimes but I'm just really happy

with my performance so far and I hope I can keep going far. You've

got Madonna that all Friedsam in the next match, what are your thoughts

on facing them? I'm going to try and enjoy the win first but it was a

tough match out there today. I'm ready for whatever comes my way so

I'm excited. You've made your way through qualifying and have won

three matches in the main draw. Have you got lots of energy left? Yeah, I

did that at the beginning so coming through qualifying has helped me out

a bit. I'm just trying to focus on recovering for tomorrow and just

continuing. Well done again it into the quarterfinals, Monica Puig,

ladies gentlemen. APPLAUSE

STUDIO: Perhaps one unexpected name to enter the last eight but at least

order of some sort was restored on Court One, where Cibulkova beat her

opponent in straight sets, 76, 63. A diminutive figure, as you can see,

just 5'3", but that was a big screech on match point to take her

through into the last eight. So we've just seen a great performance.

That was a really good match between Monica Puig and Caroline Wozniacki.

Then it's Radwanska against Bouchard. They will be on court very

shortly, and our third match this afternoon will see Petra Kvitova

against Jo Konta, the British and one. We had to leave you on BBC Two

last night when Jo had just won the first sent web offset against her

opponent, Lesia Tsurenko, but if you managed to follow it on the BBC

website you will have seen Jo winning emphatically six Ivan wanted

top that is the unfamiliar sight of glorious blue skies above Eastbourne

late last night. It was a spectacular evening. Anyway, after

the match, Jo told us what her thoughts were.

When we spoke last year, you were on the top 150, you are now inside the

top 20, there are huge posters of view, one right behind you. How are

you coping with all of that? Is it a surprise? I think the less time I

spent thinking about it, the less and less effect it will have on me,

if it has one. I'm very much the same person with the same desires.

I'm just trying to improve on my profession but I'm very grateful for

the situation that I'm in, very grateful for the events that I'm

playing in. All the players work all their lives to get to the top of

their game so I feel very fortunate and I'm really enjoying just getting

out there every single day and competing or training to the best of

my ability. It is your home tournament. Do you have any home

comforts? Yes, I get to cheekily ask my parents to make my breakfast and

get to just roll-out of bed and have breakfast in my pyjamas, where's in

hotel rooms identikit would be socially acceptable. So I'm very

happy to be at home and spent time with them. But obviously changes

your stress levels, being at home, because you are very relaxed. You up

playing a two-time champion, Petra Kvitova, who you know very well.

What are her strengths? She is an incredibly good ball striker, she

has a very good serve, she's left-handed and she really does love

the grass so I'm just going to be going out there looking to really

stay in the points that I need to and try to take advantage of any

opportunity that comes my way. You two are almost the same age, you

been around for the same amount of time on the tour. You seemed quite

friendly at Edgbaston a couple of weeks ago, playing tennis of canal

boats. Are you quite good friends? We had an interesting time on that

day. I think we are friendly and I don't know her that well but

whenever I've spoken to her and seen her, we've always had nice chats and

she's a very lovely girl. Everyone says that about Kvitova drop in

terms of your progression over the last year, going from the top 152

120, have you looked at it as it has been a mental progression and the

self belief came from the technical advances that you've made,

particularly in commentary today they were talking about how much

your forehand has improved, or is the other way round, the technical

advantages have given self belief? I think it became less about looking

for something. I think the less you look for self belief, the less you

look for things, the more energy you invest in just working and just

trying. That's what we'll give the opportunity to play lots of matches

and lots of matches does bring you certain confidence that you can

repeat day in, day out. It is one of those chicken or the eggs and REO is

but I think the more matches you get under your belt, the more you feel

comfortable in situations out there. You've spoken about the fat that

your confidence doesn't come from the rank and you have, even though

you're in the top 20. Can you explain that, because I think people

might find it hard to understand. It's important to understand that

results and rankings come and go. Sport can be quite fickle in that

way and it's important to really have your self-respect and your

self-confidence, things that you have more control over, your effort,

who you are as a person, because that's where you can always go back

to. If you live and die with your wins and losses, it can be a very

roller-coaster like living. I try to keep it as level as possible.

Looking ahead, I know you are going to say you don't want to talk about

it but Wimbledon is just round the corner. It must be a difficult

feeling going into that knowing you are so highly ranked. I guess it

just depends if I'll be a top 16 seed or not. I don't know what my

ranking is or how the seeding will work exactly. I think that will be

the only difference, whether I move upstairs downstairs for the locker

room. The locker room is a very nice when you do that. Both locker room

is a very nice so I'm not picky. And just happy to be part of such a good

event, it is really the most procedures one of the year. And also

I get to spend another week at relative home, so that's nice,

before I get back on the plane and start flying transatlantic.

STUDIO: The bad bees for Jo is that she's not going to be in the best

locker room but the good news for her is that she is the first British

seed in the Women's Singles at Wimbledon for 32 years. She is

number 17 seed, the first person since Jo Durie in 1984. I will say

one other thing about Jo Konta, if you want to know more about her

because she has come with a rush into the public consciousness, a

brilliant piece of journalism in the Daily Mail today by the tennis

correspondent Mike Dixon about her background and what has motivated

her over the last few years to become what she is now and that is

actually a contender at Wimbledon. I warmly recommend that. When we talk

about Wimbledon, there are so many ways of following it here on the

BBC. Wimbledon 2016 on the BBC promises

to be one of the biggest yet, with unparalleled multi-platform coverage

across TV, radio and online. The waiting is over. Like your tennis

live? Then join us on BBC One and BBC Two for over 150 hours of action

from here, the All-England Club. Want more? Then switch over to the

red button for a range of live coverage from the outside courts and

early rounds. Not enough? Well, with an additional 50 live streams

available through connected TVs, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport

mobile app, you can be sure you can follow every first serve to every

eventual final here on Centre Court. And it's not just on TV that you can

join all the action. Join me and Tony Livesey on Radio 5 live and

five live sport extra for live coverage of the tournament,

including commentary led by our commentator Russell Fuller. And John

McEnroe is back with his show. Can you explain that to me? Joining us

for this year's duel in the ground tennis event will be some of the

biggest names the sport has. Bringing you unrivalled insight into

life at FW 19. -- S W 19. On BBC Two, Clare Balding returns with

Today At Wimbledon. You'll be able to catch up with any correct you

missed on the iPlayer and the BBC Sport website will be full of the

best news, gossips, video clips and articles on all things Wimbledon.

This year will also be the most social Wimbledon in its history. Our

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts will be live with an

alternative look at the tournament and we want you to get involved like

never before. Wimbledon 2016 on the BBC. We'll take you there.

STUDIO: There is no escape, as indeed there is no escape from the

Euros, which continue tonight. The matches we have on the BBC are the

ones coming up in the not too distant future, about an hour or so

awaited top on the red button you can watch ice and against Austria

and on BBC one, Hungary against Portugal. Camra Nadeau score? -- can

Ronaldo score? We will be back with more toasted we will start the

programme but with the weather forecast, we might be on at one and

off again at one minute past 1pm. Here we are, live on Centre Court,

for Bouchard against Radwanska and I'm sure Anne Keothavong and Sam

Smith are going to be talking about this a lot during the course of the

match but, Sam, Eugenie Bouchard was going to be the next big thing and

was going to replace Maria Sharapova as the poster girl for women's

tennis a couple of years ago and it didn't quite happen. Why?

Well, maybe expectation, maybe it was just too much, too soon. She won

the juniors at Wimbledon in 2012 and two years later she was in the main

final. That's coming into women's tennis and taking the game really by

storm and just maybe she wasn't strong enough to handle all the Guha

and noise around it. Because she is so marketable and was signed up and

had huge pressures and she's talked about that a lot last year, how she

was so nervous at times she couldn't even eat, it was just so much and

overwhelming. That's a pretty simple it gets placing. I'm sure she could

give you a more detailed one but to me, Annie, that's the bones of it.

Yeah. We see that a lot with young players. I mentioned it in the

previous match with Monica Puig, the first, second year on tour, they

burst on the scene and make a huge impact were trying to back. The

following year with all the expectations and everything else,

all the commitments that are expected of them off the court, as

well as on the court, it takes its toll and it takes some getting used

to but we've seen Eugenie Bouchard plays better tennis this year. She's

on the right path again and is reunited with her coach, who knows

her so well. He worked with her when she was a little girl at his academy

in Florida, from the age of 11, 12? STUDIO: Sorry to come back on that,

Sam, is one of the great things, and you could say this about all sports,

a lot of the guys playing in the Euros, when you are very young and

suddenly you become very famous, almost the most important people are

the people that you surround yourself with and they have your

best interests at heart and don't allow you to be diverted from the

path that you're going down. SAM SMITH: Yes, you look at the

support. You look at Muguruza at Roland Garros and she has got such a

strong family base behind her. You think, she has had the limelight

pretty young and pretty big and should be OK and at the end of 2014,

nobody could believe it but she fired her coach who took her from a

junior to being one of the best players in the world, to five in the

world, and it seemed from that moment, Annie, that everything went

wrong. We are very pleased to see him back. Since he's been back, they

reunited in Charlton a few months ago at the first of the clay-court

tournaments, and we've seen glimpses of what really took her to five in

the world and the grand slam finals. She does seem to be back on track.

He knows her game so well, he knows her personality, what makes her

tick, and that's so important for any player. Radwanska won't be

taking this likely, even though she's had a couple of wins against

Eugenie earlier this year in Australia, both in two sets.

Eugenie, though, might fancy her chances.

Genie is 22 years of age, ranked just inside the world top 50. When

she was with Saviano she was ranked five in the world. Maybe the end of

season finals. And what is it that is so good about her game? Her

ability to take the ball on the rise and to take time away from her

opponent. She's a great athlete who moves well

around the court, as is Agnieszka Radwanska. She is known as the

magician. She has conjured herself a couple of early break points, here.

Bouchard, a great athlete. Moves well around the court.

But it's her all out aggression the transfers across all services that

makes her such a dangerous player to play against. -- surfaces. And an

exciting player to watch. Heavy second serve. I'm amazed she's

not challenging that. Oh, right not to. It's me that needs to get down

to the opticians. Tough opening hold forbid -- Phil

Bouchard. That might prove significant. Radwanska one of the

best players in the world this year. Ranked at number three, one of the

favourites were Wimbledon where she has already been a finalist. That

bears out how aggressive Bouchard plays. That's from last year.

Bouchard write up on that baseline. Compromise is not a big word in her

dictionary, is it? There was an amazing statistic in

2014 on her way to the Wimbledon final which told us she didn't hit

one return of serve from behind the baseline on her way to that final.

That year was always looking to pounce on everything. Did not

compromise. Radwanska was also at the time last

night with her partner David. She has a really good team behind her, a

physio, and Thomas who has coached us such a long time.

Fantastic from the Bouchard. I hope the tie isn't a bad omen. Wozniacki

has already lost on this Centre Court today. It is sold out, a few

of the fans having a break from a very long opening match. They'll be

coming back in in a game or so. Radwanska doesn't possess a huge

amount of power but she's accurate on serve. Or maybe not so!

APPLAUSE Having to work quite hard in the

opening service games. Safely aboard in this third-round match. Winner of

this contest will play Dominika Cibulkova who won earlier today

against Kateryna Bondarenko. APPLAUSE

So explosive for that smash, B -- Bouchard. And not afraid of

venturing forwards. Does rather go after that second

serve. A couple of finals this year for Bouchard. At the start in Hobart

Tasmania and then a month or so later in Kuala Lumpur. It's been a

little thin on the ground since then.

She was on her back fit here but didn't back-up. Held her ground on

that baseline. Came up with something quite spectacular. Very

little take back on that backhand. You wouldn't really know from the

way she's played this week so far that she lost first round on the

grass in Holland a few weeks ago, and then second round at the new

tournament in my yorker. I didn't know they had any grass courts in

Mallorca. She is playing well this week in Eastbourne.

Just drifted. Radwanska gets the early break. Radwanska always look

so call and calm. It was interesting chatting to how on Monday when it

was tipping down here. Another monsoon on Monday. I said are you

going to practice? She said, I'd hit enough balls I think, I do think I'm

going to worry about it today. I'm just going to go to the gym. You

don't often hear that on the women's tour which is practice mad. That's

the beauty of experience. Radwanska is 27 now, she has run enough miles

on tennis courts, she knows how to play. There's not as much urgency to

just hit tennis balls for the sake of it. It's great to see her

vitalise to because there was a period midway 2014, almost this time

last year, where she didn't look as made to baited as we've seen her.

She looked jaded with tennis, maybe lost her passion -- she didn't look

as motivated. It was already getting on the grass that kick-started her

season. Grass is her favourite surface. Growing up in Poland she

was surrounded by clay courts but that is her least favourite surface

to play on. Despite spending hours honing her game on the dirt. Just

the one grass court title to her name, that came here back in 2008.

The rest have all been on hard courts.

They can come out of nowhere these drop shots from Radwanska. Which

makes her a nightmare to play against if you're on the receiving

end. I sense the feeling. She's very much old school, isn't

she? There's no grunting or chats with herself at the back of the

court. She is only recently just started changing her rackets with

the new ball. She was never really remotely interested in her string

tension or anything like that. She's a player who gets on with it.

She's got that very light racket, I almost think it's like a toy racket,

a five-year-old could happily play with it.

APPLAUSE Great point by Bouchard. It was the

return of serve that really set everything else up for her. That is

what she'll look to pounce on, first off second serve return.

Team Radwanska, there's Thomas Howard coach on the right, her

physio and trainer in the middle, and David her boyfriend and hitter

on the end. They also went a little jog along the this morning. Where

you jogging? I was in the strolling camp, I'm afraid.

You just sense the longer the point goes on, the more it favours

Radwanska. More chance of Bouchard just making an error.

In the opening 20 minutes or so they've been out here, she's played

some really good tennis, great individual points, but it hasn't

really gained any territory so far. She doesn't come from a tennis

playing family. There were park courts very near to where she grew

up in Montreal, Canada. Her brothers and sisters don't play.

She has a twin sister, Beatrice, and a younger brother, William, and

another sister, Charlotte. I don't know if you can spot the royal

connection? I think her mother was obsessed with the Royal family!

APPLAUSE Really good play from Bouchard. She

just keeps it to the one break in this opening set. It's been a

fascinating career so far from Genie. I did think anyone expected

her to hit the worlds top ten so quickly after coming out of Genius.

So tough had to regroup and the meltdown last year. It was an utter

disaster. She just couldn't really find any form. Until the US Open,

and then was the concussion to deal with. If you didn't hear about it,

she slipped on the changing room floor late in the evening after the

cleaners had cleaned the floor. It's all gone to court, she is saving the

STA. She hit her head very badly and didn't play for the rest of the

year. She was still struggling at the start of this year, had to be

monitored carefully. It's turning into a movie script. Seems to be

fully recovered now. Just more focused, she looks fitter, stronger,

and that has made a huge difference as well I think, this year. Great to

see her back with Saviano. He's a huge fan of this tournament. He was

saying, do the girls know how lucky they are to play to packed houses

day in day out. He is known as one of the best coaches on the tour. I

hope she calls him answer a bit of on-call coaching.

Clean and clinical from the Pole. Hasn't seemed to let superstardom go

to her head, she is still studying for a degree in tourism which she

studies when she gets back at the end of the year.

Do you think she'll ever complete that degree? I haven't asked her

recently. I think there might be still a few modules. There is one

benefit of superstardom, she can say to them, be back in December, can I

do my exams on these particular dates, please. They allow that.

She's doing a very nice job, holding the fort. Without doing too much.

Not fazed by the Bouchard court is she? -- court position, is she?

UMPIRE: Ms Bouchard is challenging the call. The call is overturned.

15-0. Bouchard very nicely behind

Radwanska but it's still the Pole who leads by a break. I wonder what

her expectations are this year, after winning the WTA finals at the

end of last season in Singapore. That was unexpected, and her biggest

title so far. I wonder when she was sitting at the breakfast table in

January, 2016, what's going to be the priority? A Grand Slam title. I

think it's noticeable how much smarter she's been about her

scheduling this year. Hasn't overplayed. If there have been any

niggles, in the past she's tried to play through them. Quite often with

Radwanska, you see her bandaged up. And this year, any signs of any

niggles or injuries, she hasn't been shy about withdrawing from

tournaments to make sure she's fresh for the big ones. Wimbledon is her

best chance of winning a slam. She's made it to the final before. Is that

because of her game style fit to the surface or the fact she likes it?

She's a natural counterpuncher. Grass isn't the first surfaced yet

think about when you think about Radwanska winning titles, most of

her six has come on hard courts. But it certainly is the surface she

enjoys playing on, she's comfortable moving on a grass court, which are a

lot of players aren't. She stayed down nice and low when it shoots

through. She's just ticking over here. We haven't quite seen the best

of Radwanska yet. She's got the new balls.

She has this uncanny knack to keep opponents guessing, to keep them off

balance. And then they end up making a mistake. Really annoying.

It is casino returning, isn't it, from Bouchard? It is at times like

this one I just think she has to compromise, just a little bit. Would

it do her so much harm if she just backed off a little bit to give

herself time? When it is good, it is great, but when she misses a few in

a row... She just needs to give herself a bit

of time to work the point more, rather than just being all-out

aggression constantly, that would be the logic. Bouchard, serving to stay

in the opening set. Radwanska's turn to hit a huge

return. She does not look as if she has

broken sweat yet. Rather easy for the world number three.

Bouchard getting a tennis lesson out here.

They had been on court for just over 30 minutes and it is the Polish

woman with a three set points. That will do very nicely. Radwanska

takes the opening set 6-3. That was a hugely impressive first set by

Radwanska. On Court one, an equally impressive first set.

This is how the results today are affecting the draw. We are hoping to

have the quarterfinals, weather permitting tomorrow. The one match

we are focusing on on the last 16 in the bottom half is Petra Kvitova

against Joe contra. That is coming your way next. -- Johanna Konta.

That will be on next after the culmination of this match. If you

are a seasoned watcher of Radwanska across many years, you will know

that there is no such thing as an easy game for her. If Bouchard can

get back into this it could be anybody's same. Always interesting

to hear the relationship between the coach and the player. Bouchard is

not saying much, just listening. Let's hear what is being said. Every

single point, all right? You were close the except you give a few

points away. Come on, every point. Just saying that she gave too many

points away and that every single point counts which is true. It was a

lot better than the chapel there were at the French Open a couple of

years ago, she got so annoyed at what he was saying she bashed a ball

out into the food court! I think that was a good chat!

This is a turn-up for the books, the first time that has made any threat

to the Radwanska service game. Quite a few loose ones, you don't

see any of that and Eugenie takes full advantage. Nick was saying

there that she was pretty close in the first set. Did you see it like

that or is that just giving her a boost? I think it is the sign of a

good coach, trying to see the positives and everything! She was

not close towards the end of that first set. In fact, she lost eight

points in a row to lose the first set. She did not get close at all to

the Radwanska service games until just then. What I like about the

cultures that every time he comes on he always asks her how she is

feeling. He did not get much of a response

from Bouchard when he asked the question. This time. Although he has

done in the past. There is nothing worse than watching on court

coaching and seeing a coach come on and fire so much information to the

player. Without asking for the player's opinion.

Just drifted. She always seems to guess the right way! This is good

from Eugenie. If she had some sleeves she would be rolling them

up, working very hard now. It is an area of the game that she

has really improved over the last 12 months, looking to been more

aggressive, move up the court, make more things happen.

I am sure somewhere she has a microchip, she is so quick to feel

the match, know when and where to make some changes. She has a break

back point here. She does not allow Eugenie to get

away. She has a very solid support camp.

Thomas has been with her for a long, long time. It was her father,

Robert, who coached her and sister for the first years of her life.

Glenn Thomas took over. He travelled with her a lot as a junior. That is

in on the end in the grey, brown T-shirt. It is not easy that

transition from dad as the coach to bring in somebody else in. It

generally hasn't been that successful in women's tennis. No, it

hasn't. He has also been the Polish Federation cup captain. Martina

Navratilova at the start of last year, too. She has kept the coaching

changes to a minimum, unlike her opponent today.

She was not even looking at the ball on this volley! She is always in the

right position. She reads the game beautifully, Radwanska.

Well played! Bouchard really stepping up here.

And again! She has the shovel out! All awkward balls are both of the

players at this point. That is what this lovely, -- so lovely about

grass court tennis. She has another break point.

Perfect playing conditions, really for the first time this week. Barely

a breath of wind, the sun has come out, the court has hardened up. It

is always a great time of day to play here in East born. --

Eastbourne. She really is playing some of our

very best tennis right here. Now, another chance, one she has to take,

you feel. Radwanska coming up with the goods

when under pressure. She is so confident, Radwanska. She has won so

many matches this year. The most consistent player on tour.

Radwanska has reached the semifinals or better name out of the last four

team tournament is. That is some serious research! I'm impressed!

Going against the grain of the top players who have been so predict to

ball and unreliable all season. -- unpredictable and unreliable all

season. So, Radwanska way out of the very tricky service game. She now

leads by one set and 2-1 in the second. It is interesting, the

coaching carousel which so often gets rather busy at the end of

season. Players and coaches coming and going, consultants being added

and taken away. I think it is so tough to find a good coach when you

are on tour. I do. A lot of the good hitting partners who then become

coaches... But it is very hard to find somebody who is genuine, has

your best interest at heart and has the information to help you do well.

I can't imagine Thomas ever splitting up that partnership. It is

great that David is travelling with her now, as well. You need to have a

life of the court, as well. Also, that Radwanska has invested in

having a trainer travelled with her. I mentioned earlier, there was

always times when you would see Radwanska bandaged up. She always

had tape on her shoulder, her thigh, Ernie, always something. Less of

that these days. The training room used to stock up if the was a

Radwanska week. It was an ongoing joke how much tape and her sister,

her she left, would use on their toes. I am pretty sure they are

still tipped up! I'm sure they are. Not a pretty sight. Bouchard playing

catch up at the moment. When you are going after it as much

as Bouchard does... The margins are so tight for her.

She has had some really good moment in this match but she has looked

like old self, but, unfortunately, too many loose ones from Bouchard.

APPLAUSE. When it has been good it has been great and it has been fun

to see her play these good points, but she has not been able to back it

up or come up with it consistently enough to really hurt Radwanska. You

get the sense that if she can play at this level she should be back in

the top 20 sooner rather than later. We hope so, we like Eugenie.

My goodness me! She got that totally wrong.

Really struggling behind her serve now. She has look on her last three

service games. Radwanska has never dropped a set against that can be --

against the Canadian, including one game earlier this year, looks very

comfortable in this matchup. Well, she is applying herself as he

asked for and every single point. It is a difficult balancing act against

the Polish woman, he gives you so little. A chance here, though.

That will do nicely! Bouchard is back on track in the second set. I

guess with everything she has been through over the past year, it is

good to see her looking healthy and strong again. It is about results, I

guess, but more about level of play now? Consistent level of play, which

is something she is searching for. Even when she had her breakthrough

back in 2004 team, it is not like she was performing consistently

well. It was the grand slams in which he did well. Semifinals at the

Australian and French, finals at Wimbledon. She was able to perform

on the big stage, but wasn't able to bring that type of aggressive tennis

that had won her so many matches, and the energy, into the smaller

events. Somehow the motivation was not the same. She has to realise

that to be able to perform well at the big tournaments each time, she

still has to find a way to perform well at the smaller events more

consistently. Who wins that she picks up during the course of the

year will give her confidence to do so. I think that is something she is

still working towards. But Bouchard has so much talent, so much skill, I

have no doubt you will be back inside the world top 20 sooner or

later. And a lot of charisma. I huge star back in Canada, maybe too much

of a huge star last year, it was a bit overwhelming for her. We are

back on serve after four bricks in the opening five games of the second

set. -- breaks. She is special, isn't she,

Radwanska? She has all the little toy shops. --

shots. When she has got you on a string like that, you can often feel

quite silly! This has suddenly turned into such a

high-level match. The fans sense it as well. Packed house on this centre

court at Devonshire Park. UMPIRE: Warning, Bouchard. Only

allowed 20 seconds between points and she tipped over it.

They always come at the wrong time, those code violations.

That will do nicely. Really against the run of play, Bouchard levels up

in the second set. Those code violations often feel like they come

at the wrong times, but it's on those big points when they do calm

and it's on those big points when players feel like they needed an

extra few seconds to regroup and focus.

There it is again, doesn't try to do too much on the volley, just places

it in the perfect position. It's got to be this good, hasn't it?

That's why Radwanska is number three in the world.

So quick to change things up. Radwanska puts in an emphatic old to

push ahead once more in this second set. # hold. Whenever you watch her,

she does things you can't really teach, or can you? I don't think it

is. She is the queen of improvising. What she is able to do on the tennis

court is unorthodox a lot of the time. She's not over fussed with Tec

Ni, it's instinct. I wonder, when she started playing, if her father

got her and her sister to start with balloons instead of tennis balls.

Balloons are great. They are something all young kids being

introduced to ball games should start off with. They stay in the air

for longer, they are bigger. Yeah, easier to hit if you do have a

racket or something, or just with your hand. They started at four with

these balloons. My niece plays tennis... She doesn't play tennis,

she goes to classes to play tennis, but actually they just hit balloons

around. You have a seven-month-old. I haven't introduced balloons to her

yet! I expect to see balloons tied to her pram tomorrow. You will be

crazy tennis ma'am. She's already got a miniature tennis racket. She's

got two, I bought her one! Her favourite toy. Bouchard doing really

well in the second set, coming back strongly. Needs to hang on here. On

serve in the second set, a couple of breaks.

Radwanska thought one of the balls earlier in the rally was long, on

the baseline. Tough to tell from where we are sacked. I do like

Radwanska, she's so understated. Gave a slightly agitated stair to

the spot where she thought the ball bounced.

There's no knowledge and from Radwanska that she's hit an shot

either! -- no acknowledgement. -- an awesome shot. Does not like making

mistakes. Usually you can count them per set by the handful, if that.

Still got a couple of chances to serve for the match.

Just build it. The scoreline a little unfair on Bouchard. -- she

just pulled it. Certainly doesn't reflect how well

she played in parts in the first, and certainly all the way through

this second set. But Radwanska, well, she's the past master of

coming through these kind of encounters and will serve now for a

place in the quarterfinals. UMPIRE: Miss Bouchard is challenging

the call on the right service line, the ball was called in. Very few

challenges this afternoon. The umpire has done a top job in the

chair. Miss Bouchard has two challenges remaining. Wishful

thinking from Bouchard. Wasn't quite central enough with the

approach, and far too short from Radwanska to not give Bouchard the

angle to play with. I do like her finishing shots.

Dismissed that particular rally. Two points away, has really had to

concentrate out here, particularly in this second set.

Well, she didn't have the best time in Birmingham, losing her opening

match. It hasn't derailed her by the looks of things. She's really put it

together out here. Match point for Radwanska.

And the top seed is safely through to the last eight. A very

businesslike performance from Agnieszka Radwanska. She was more

solid out there. Unfortunately for Bouchard, the errors cost her in

that match. Don't bet against her putting her name once again on that

trophy. Great signs from Youzhny -- Youzhny

She goes into Wimbledon with some confidence, but how many times have

we seen this sort of performance from Radwanska? She has the type of

game to really drive you up the wall. She makes it as awkward as

possible out there and Bouchard felt it. At 27, just maybe that first

Grand Slam is just around the corner. She's been close and who

knows what is possible. She'll play Dominika Cibulkova in the next

round, a very difficult matchup for her. But a great tune-up. A couple

of good wins already this week and she's really enjoyed herself here

once again on the grass in Eastbourne. Her 10th visit.

Loves the conditions. Can you give us your assessment of the winter

day? It was a really good match from the beginning to the end. She was

really playing solid tennis the whole match. I'm just very happy

with my game so hopefully I can play better and better. What areas of

your game are you particularly happy with? I'm serving much better and

that was working very well today. Keep in this match was the servers

well. Very Hafeez that I was focused on till the end and I could close

out the match. Your 10th appearance in Eastbourne. What do you think you

learn about playing on a grass court? Every match is a challenge on

the grass. Players play different types of tennis so every match is

different. I'm just happy to have another couple of matches here

before Wimbledon and hopefully I can play great next week as well.

Dominika Cibulkova in the next round, you've met 11 times and use

won seven times. You've never played on grass before, what difference

will that make? We've played so many great matches. Playing against is

never easy, she's a great fighter and a great game from baseline. Now

is another level of the tournament so I need to play 100%. Into the

quarterfinals, Agnieszka Radwanska! Thank you very much.

Britain's number one Job and a Konta against Petra Kvitova is coming up

next. -- Johanna Konta. Talking about Grand Slam champions, is

another Grand Slam champion, Sam Stosur, who just happened to be

wandering by. How are you? You've been coming here many times, do you

like Eastbourne? I do, I've come here many times. I've always really

enjoyed my week and had some good results. It's all is nice to come

back. You always seem to embody everything stereotypically

Australian. You fight and you haven't the dog in you that you will

never go until you have to. Were you always like that? Yeah, I've always

been pretty competitive no matter what I was doing, playing in the

background with Mike -- in the playground with my brother or

playing tennis, or at school, I always wanted to win. You've been on

the tour non-enough to know that it's so competitive, there's no such

thing as an easy game. No. The level of our tennis now is better and

better every year, every decade. Maybe a person ranked 50 in the

world ten years ago make not cut it now with somebody in the same

position. You have to be prepared every day to have a tough battle. I

was talking to Sam Smith and she said to ask you about your amazing

flat in Sydney overlooking the water. How does she know! She said,

what's she's still doing travelling the world when she can just sit per

month -- sip a martini and look out on Bondi Beach. I love it. Results

like I just had at Roland Garros and the lead up to Roland Garros, I was

pleased with what I was doing. It's really enjoyable when you're

competing against the best players in the world. When you're not

playing well, it's harder to leave home. But I will enjoy what I do and

I'm going to be a long time retired. When you won the US Open, you were

the first Aussie to win a title since Evonne Goolagong. That must

have been huge. It was a dream come true for me. My second Grand Slam

final and that time I knew what to expect a bit more. I went out there

and knew exactly what wanted to do and needed to do and I did it

perfectly. If there's any time to do it it's then. It was a dream come

true. Something I'll always remember. Does it change your life

being a Grand Slam champion? Does it elevate you to being a bit more than

you were the day before? I think a lot of other people think that. I'm

still doing the same thing and five years later it hasn't changed for

me. The year after you get a few extra perks on tour and people want

to talk to you a bit more and if that goes away, you know where you

stand again. I'm still the same player, same person, same

everything, but it's something I've been able to achieve and something

I'm very proud of. I didn't get a chance to ask you if this was true

and there is a wizard danger at a random question. I once interviewed

Frankie Dettori and on the Internet it said he had been brought up by

nuns so live on television... I haven't been. I said to him, you

were brought up by nuns. He said, I wasn't. I'm always wary of beating

things up. But it did say that when you were 60 or whole family's house

was washed away by floods. -- when you were six, your whole family's

house. That is true. Do you remember it? I don't remember the night it

happened. We were living on the Gold Coast and my mum and dad at

management rights to a block of flats and they all went under. So we

moved to Adelaide and that's where I started playing tennis. If the flood

didn't happen, maybe I wouldn't have played tennis and been able to do

what I do. It wasn't good for the family, but we were able to start

again. Your mum and dad talk about it? Yeah, we lost a lot of photos

and other things. My mum nearly lost her wedding ring and my elder

brother dived in the water and found it. I'm sure it was a scary moment,

but I was pretty young and don't remember it. I got folks here with

you? They are, they've come over again. The last time they were here

was 2004. They are loving Eastbourne, we go to Wimbledon

tomorrow and then they will go on holiday. Nice for them to come over

and see some tennis. Do you love having them here? Yeah, it's nice.

They've come to the US Open a couple of times. They always come to the

Australian Open. It's nice for them to enjoy watching me play and

playing in another country. Petra Kvitova is on court and Johanna

Konta will be on court shortly. Waiting to be introduced, always a

nerve wracking moment. Especially here because last year was such a

big moment in her career, kick-starting a run to the

semifinals of the Australian Open later this year. That's coming at

live in a moment. Going back to your parents, Sam, this is an

extraordinary sport, there are a lot of parent-child relationships that

have gone haywire in the course of tennis. Using to be happy with

everything. It's a massive advantage to have that bedrock for the rest of

your career. Yeah. They've always been involved in my tennis, but

never my coach or necessarily travelled with me. They've always

taken a really big interest, they watch all my matches at home. We've

been able to have that separation where I've got my coach and my team

around me, then they can enjoy it from afar. That's worked well for

me. They don't really know anything about tennis as far as coaching is

concerned! How much longer, obvious question. If you are loving it,

semifinalist at Roland Garros, why not keep going? What will be the

determining factor? Probably health and injuries. The last few years,

there's been a few... Not big injuries, but niggardly things where

you're not 100% for a long period of time. Touch wood I'm doing well

again this year. If I'm fit and healthy and feel like I did before

and that I can compete with the best in the world, I want to do it. I'd

say at least another few years and then maybe a recess. As we head off

to Centre Court, what's your take on this game? I think it will be tough.

Petra isn't having her best year, but I'm sure when she steps on the

grass court, she loves it. Jo is having a fantastic year, and playing

at home on a surface she likes so hopefully it will be a good match.

Sat on the fence. I'll go Jo, I'll go for the local. Great to meet you.

Let's go to Sam Smith and Anne Keothavong.

Always very amusing in Melbourne in January. Jo grew up in Sydney until

she was 14. The Aussies were quite clean -- quite keen to claim her

when she started doing well. They haven't shown much interest in the

intervening years. Her colours are firmly strapped to the Great Britain

flag and the Great Britain Olympic team. She'll be in Rio in a few

months with Heather Watson. Tremendous reception for Jo. She is

the British number one and the world number 18... A very tough assignment

against the two time Wimbledon champion who really has struggled

this year. Not quite sure why. She was ill at the start. She had mono

last year, which took some getting over. Her ranking reflects her worst

ever start to a season. 29 on the road to Singapore, which is points

accumulated this year. Weighed down in terms of results this year. She's

lost her aura on tour, but not on the grass court. Not on grass court.

There where a Petra Kvitova on a grass court because she loves this

surface. Her game is perfectly suited to the grass. It's obviously

where she's had so much success, two time Wimbledon champion. That leg

wasn't strapped yesterday. That right thigh. Hopefully it's nothing

too Sirius for her sake. -- Sirius. I do think when players are changing

surfaces more these days, particularly from the clay to the

grass, they pick up so many injuries. Maybe it was always like

that, but it seems to be more prevalent. They seem to be terrified

of moving on it in their first couple of matches. When a grass

court hasn't been played on much, it is very lush. You see more players

slipping on a grass court than any other surface. They try to move like

it's a hard court. That's maybe a debate for another day. What an

amazing year for Jo. Climbed inside the top 50 last season. A wonderful

run here last year and at the US Open. She's burst into the world's

top 20 and backed up that run in Melbourne, through to the

semifinals. She will be seeded 17 at Wimbledon. She's down on the roster

for the Wimbledon media day this Sunday. That's quite an event in

itself and she will need to be in her bubble for that one. It's

wonderful to have someone you feel that can content in pretty much

every tournament she plays in. She's right up there and she goes on court

against Petra Kvitova, 12 months ago, you'd probably sake of it of a

fairly straightforward, but it's not the case now. Give it of will be

thinking, hang on, this is serious opposition. It's a transformation.

When they last played at the US Open, the fourth round of the US

Open, where Konta qualified and had a superb run, it was a very close

run. Give it of was the winner on that particular day, 7-5, 6-3, but

in the first set there wasn't a lot in it. Very close games. How would

you assess Jo's opening match yesterday against the qualifier? She

wasn't a qualifier, the debutant, Lesia Tsurenko. There wasn't much in

it in the first place and it was a tie-break that Konta played very

well. She served very well in that match yesterday. Didn't get broken

once in that match. That will be key in this match today. Give it of

possesses a big serve herself. -- Kvitova. Why do you think of it of

has struggled so much this season? Consistency isn't really her thing.

You never know what you're going to get from her from week to week. You

just know she is a dangerous player and when she's on, choose

unplayable. When it's off, it can be back fence tennis, but it doesn't

seem to faze her much. Came through very well in the clutch yesterday in

her opening match. She had a bye in the first round. Yesterday was

against Timea Babos, the big hitter. Good signs after losing early in

Birmingham last week. It's tough to look into the result in Birmingham

last week, where she went out to a young Latvian player. Very good

player, former Wimbledon junior player, Ostapenko. They were on and

off the court due to rain on a number of times, tough to find any

rhythm. Here there is a new team can fit of. -- Kvitova. She's taken on

Frankie Srna. Esteban Karen is one half of the Spanish coaching team. A

new agent for Jo. She is building a team around herself. Of course still

on paper Kvitova is the favourite, but there have been Sony upsets at

Eastbourne throughout the years, at the Grand Slam is. -- so many

upsets. It's a pundit's nightmare. The top half is complete. This is a

match from the bottom half. The winner will play the victor between

Andrea Petkovic and Ekaterina Makarova.

The fifth appearance here for Kvitova, the leading check they are

on tour at the moment, there are five in the top 100. She was a

finalist by peers -- five years ago. A couple of years later she found

herself lifting the Wimbledon crown. Results have been very hard for her

to come by this year. A quarterfinal in Miami probably her best effort.

And a semi-indoors on the clay in Stuttgart. It has been a stop start

season for her. Very strange. You feel that she has not played badly

in a lot of the matches that she lost, they have been tight.

This is a match where Konta can play with a bit more freedom. Yesterday

we saw her look uptight, very tense until she got the first set under

her belt when she was able to free up.

Good start from the former finalist. And ideal time of the day, late

afternoon at Devonshire Park. The wind has dropped. The court is

hardening up with every ball but his head. A packed house. This is the

one they have been waiting for. How lucky it is for Jo to be able to

have her home just a few miles away. She lives with her parents. They

moved here from Sydney when she was 14 years of age. It is very much

home for her. We associate power with Kvitova

whenever we talk about, but touch is something she possesses, and a lot

of that. Don't underestimate her drop shots her feel around the

course. -- court. Even though she can swing a little

bit more freely in this match, you got this sense she was very tense

yesterday, there will still be some anxiety about here.

What makes her serve so dangerous is that it is so tough to read, the

Konta serve. A very consistent ball toss, she can kick it, slice it,

flatten it out. She has a great physique, Jo. Five

feet 11, 180 centimetres, good athlete.

She works and practices these days in the north-west of Spain, which is

actually in altitude. She trains at altitude the weather to Spanish

coaches. APPLAUSE. -- with her to Spanish

coaches. What a nice start. I did not realise her paternal grandfather

played for Hungary. One of the famous 1950s Hungarian team that did

so well at the World Cup. I am not up on the 1950s football but any

mention of Hungary at that time is very impressive. That must be why

she gets a few of her athletic genes from!

She knew when she hit it, didn't she? It looks like she has found a

very good early serving rhythm here. It is not unusual to see players

with a ball on the court like this. It just diverted from its path,

didn't it? APPLAUSE. It has been good to see

Petra Kvitova serve and volley more this year. It is something she has

been trying to do a lot more, especially since she squirted with

her coach, a former top 20 doubles player. It has always been on the

table, he has been wanting her to do it for a long time. -- she started

with her coach. She did not play here last year. Had

to pull out with illness. Had to pull out in the quarterfinals the

previous year against Heather Watson, she was also unwell. They

will need to wrap up in cotton wool this week.

Good start for Kvitova on her return to Devonshire Park.

What is so lovely about Petra Kvitova, top-class sportswoman, but

so popular and respected, not just amongst her peers but amongst her

fellow athletes from the Czech Republic, which I find remarkable

because she always seems to be them! She has a great record, yes. She is

very laid-back, down to earth, easy-going, easy to talk to. That is

what makes her so popular with her peers. She is not like A*. She comes

from the eastern part of the Czech Republic, where her father used to

coach, but is also the vice mayor at the moment. She has two older

brothers who used a head with her. She did not move to the National

tennis Centre until she was 16. These days she has an apartment in

Monte Carlo, properties all over the world and is a superstar back home.

A big life change for Petra. I remember seeing her players a

16-year-old when she got a wildcard at a Challenger Event in the Czech

Republic and is she was so in thrall, but she knew she was going

to go on and achieve rate things. I could not say about you was going to

be a Wimbledon champion, but she had a huge serve, huge strikes, and she

was dangerous, you could see it from an early age. I saw her at eight

team and a dash eight team Anna Todd if she ever gets the ball near the

court, she will be a champion! She has already thrown in a couple

of double faults. I wonder how much pressure she is feeling on the

second serve. Kvitova really does give a higher hit. -- gave it a hit.

She managed to cope with a break point in turn asked him, she has a

couple more to deal with. The harsh in her

You need to be that good when you're up against Kvitova. If you put a

serve into her hitting zone it'll come back with a lot of interest.

You see this space, you open up the court well like Konta did here, you

need to take your chances, which is exactly what she did. That is

classic Jo, that has always been her pattern of play.

A little bit wild from Kvitova. She is being a little bit rocked by some

of these returns. Konta has had to deal with all of the break point so

far in this match, but she has three of her own now. Esteban looks on. He

is That was a very late call from the