PARIS – Eugenie Bouchard grew up admiring Maria Sharapova. "First, I noticed her cute dresses and things like that when I was young," said the 20-year-old Canadian, who met Sharapova when she was just eight-years-old at a tournament in Miami. "As a child, I looked up to her and 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." Bouchard and Sharapova will play on Thursday in the French Open semi-finals. It is the second straight year that the two have met at Roland Garros with the Russian prevailing in straight sets in the second round a year ago. "For sure I respect her," said Bouchard. "But now were in the semis of a Grand Slam, so Im going to respect her but not put her too high on a pedestal and really just battle. Thats what its going to be." Sharapova may be seeded seventh, but she has been widely considered the favourite to win the title since the top three seeds – Serena Williams, Li Na and Agnieszka Radwanska – all lost in the first three rounds. And Sharapova is favoured to beat Bouchard (-325, 4/13 per BoDog) for the same reason she is expected to hoist the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen on Saturday: she has the experience. She made the finals here a year ago. She won the whole thing just two years ago. At the age of 27, she has already won the career slam and has an Olympic silver medal on her resume. "Achieving what she has, she is of course very strong mentally," said Bouchard. "It is one of her strengths. Im going to be ready for another battle. You know, the semis of a Grand Slam, thats what you have to expect. "Im just looking forward to the challenge." Bouchard is earning her own reputation for poise under pressure. She overcame a 2-5 deficit (two breaks) and a set point to win the opening frame against clay-court specialist Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Then, after dropping the second set 2-6, Bouchard dug out of a 1-4 hole in the deciding set by winning 12 straight points. She then served to stay in the match at 4-5, holding easily. "At the end of the day, whether I win or lose, I want to at least leave it all out there and try and at least battle. Im proud of the way I did that in both the first and third. Shes a great player and a really good clay courter, as well. I knew it was a tough battle, and thats exactly what it was today. Im just proud of the way I stayed in there." Bouchard appeared to show some nerves after wasting a match point, serving at 6-5, with a double fault. She was asked if that was a sign she is, after all, human. "I show Im human all the time," Bouchard noted with a smile. "Yeah, you know, its one of those things. I didnt really worry about it. I think thats the most important thing: I didnt see it as a big deal, and I just regrouped for the next point, which allowed me to just give me a chance to get in a position to have a match point again. "Even on the second match point I missed a ball, but I was trying to go for it, so I didnt worry too much, either. "I think that was a bit the theme the whole match: even if I was down 5-2 or 4-1 in the third, not to worry too much, keep going, keep going, keep going, and it paid off in the end." Bouchards mental toughness and aggressive play have earned her comparisons to Sharapova. Does she like that? "There are positives and negatives," Bouchard said. "Of course shes a great champion, so to be seen as the next of someone who has won four slams and has been No. 1 in the world, its a compliment. "But at the same time, of course, Im my own person and I just want to be myself on the court, and you know, try and achieve what I want to achieve and just be seen as that." Bouchard is the only womens player to make the semis at both slams this season. She is part of the future of womens tennis and looking to prove the future is now. Bouchard readily admits that back in January when she made that magical run to the Australian Open semis, she suffered from a bit of stage fright at the start of a straight-sets loss to Li Na. "I was maybe a little bit frozen at the beginning of that match," she said. "Ill be much more ready this time." Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys . The Major League Soccer teams were scheduled to play on Saturday night, but their game was rescheduled after Stu Tudor was hit during a pregame storm. The 54-year-old lieutenant in the Columbus Fire Department is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Ohio State Medical Center. Joe Montana Jersey .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday. http://www.officialkcchiefspro.com/Marcu...-chiefs-jersey/. - While he appreciates suggestions from Packers fans of remedies for his sore left calf, Aaron Rodgers is not necessarily going to listen to the advice. Custom Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys . On Thursday, they signed former Browns linebacker DQwell Jackson. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Patrick Mahomes Jersey . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City.ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Montreals Eugenie Bouchard was eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Mexican Open on Thursday after a 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 loss to Frances Caroline Garcia. Garcia is currently ranked 89th on the WTAs singles standings, while Bouchard is No. 19. The Canadian only saved three of her 10 break points compared to Garcias 7-of-12 conversion rate. Bouchard had two aces compared to Garcias three. Also in the womens tournament, top-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, defeated New Zealands Marina Erakovic to move into the semifinals. Chinas Shuai Zhang beat Croatias Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, while American Christina McHale topped Estonias Kaia Kanepi 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. On the mens side, top-seeded David Ferrer withdrew from his quarter-final against South Africas Kevin Anderson in the second set with a left leg strain. Third-ranked Ferrer was leading 6-4, 2-2 when he suffered an inner thigh strain in his leftt leg.dddddddddddd After seeking treatment in the locker room, the Spaniard returned to the court but lost the next two points before retiring. Ferrer said he will have an MRI on Friday and then assess his recovery. "Im very sad because I was playing great", Ferrer said. "I still do not know the extent of the injury. "Ill have to wait and see before taking a determination. The day was going so well for me and then this happened". Anderson will next play Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov, who defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Anderson, who last week lost the Delray Beach final, will be playing in his first semifinals of an Open 500. "Its unfortunate to win a match like this, but hopefully he gets better", Anderson said after the match. "I talked to him and he said that it happened when he was trying to go for a ball and felt his leg tweak a little bit". 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