Genie Bouchard can make Canadian history – once again – on Saturday, when the 20-year-old from Montreal takes on Petra Kvitova in the final at Wimbledon.
And her fans back home are cheering her on, of course.
"I think she's the best of all-time in Canada, by far for the women," said one of her fans in Montreal, in an interview with the Canadian Press. "She has a very complete way to play. She has almost no weakness – good serve, good speed. I think maybe she will be first in the world and I will be very glad for her."
Bouchard could become the first-ever Canadian to win a WTA major championship. She already became the first to win a Grand Slam of any rank in 2012, when she won the Wimbledon girls' title on the junior circuit.
"The first time I actually saw her was back here, on court number one," said Louis-Philippe Dorais of Tennis Canada, in a Montreal tennis centre. "She was about 14 year old at the time... someone said, 'This is Eugenie Bouchard, one of our great hopes.' I looked at her and said, 'Wow, this is great.'"
Dorais remembers a teenager with a great personality, who hit really hard and presented herself very well.
"She always aimed very high. I mean, to say that today at 20 years old, she'd be in the finals at Wimbledon, I would say, 'Whoa, this is a reach.' But, Genie, nothing was ever too high for her."
Files/Video: The Canadian Press