Kvitova is learning it is good to talk to ease pressure

The 24-year-old saw off close friend and Czech compatriot Lucie Safarova in straight sets yesterday, to set up her second grand slam and Wimbledon final.

The world No 6 will face Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, admitting the burden of expectation proved all-consuming after she claimed the All England Club title.

Kvitova, who has teamed up with sports psychologist Michal Safar, conceded it took two years to come to terms with champion status.

“When I won here in 2011 I needed to change myself both on and off the court a little bit,” Kvitova said, after easing past Safarova 7-6 (8/6) 6-1.

“I had to get used to the pressure. I won here quite young, and it was difficult for me to handle it, definitely.

“I’m glad that happened though, I would never change it for something else.

“These years in between have been really up and down, and I knew people were expecting more from me than I delivered.”

Kvitova fell at the quarter-final hurdle as defending champion in 2012, swatted aside in straight sets by Serena Williams.

Dumped out at the same stage by Kirsten Flipkens a year later, Kvitova was still wrestling with expectations following her solitary slam success.

Kvitova said a gradual process of visualisation and improved preparation have helped her overcome those mental blocks, especially in a tough third-round match with Venus Williams this year.

“It’s tough to stay with the pressure every time you step on court, being the favourite isn’t easy,” she said.

“It takes some getting used to, definitely. That’s something that I’m living with now, I don’t think it will change – it’s part of my life now, and that’s it.

“Everything in my life changed after Wimbledon.

“I’m still working on the mental side, that’s something I really need.

“With my sports psychologist, it’s nice to talk with someone who probably knows how I’m feeling before my match.

“He’ll be trying to talk to me about the next match, what I should do, what I have to prepare for.

“During the tournament it’s really about keeping the focus, sometimes about visualisation, and certainly the little things.”

Kvitova almost did not make it to Wimbledon’s starting line this year, after damaging her hamstring and pulling out of action at Eastbourne.

Her withdrawal handed Britain’s Heather Watson a walkover into the semi-finals – but left herself with four days to find fitness.

Canadian Bouchard reached her first grand slam final by defeating Romania’s Simona Halep.

It was a meeting of the two most improved players on the circuit but, after Halep’s run to the French Open final, this time it is Bouchard who will bid for a first slam title when she takes on Kvitova tomorrow.

Luck was certainly on 20-year-old Bouchard’s side, with Halep turning her ankle early in the match and then seeing a net-cord go against her at a crucial stage of the tie-break.

The second set was all Bouchard and the Canadian, the only player to reach the semi-finals at every slam so far this season, clinched a 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 victory after an hour and 35 minutes.

Bouchard is now relishing the biggest match of her life.

“I can’t wait to play. It’s my first grand slam final so I’m just going to go for it,” she said. “I’ll have probably my toughest match yet so I’m looking forward to the challenge. I never say I’m surprised (at her results) because I’ve put in a lot of hard work and it’s been years in the making.

“I believe in myself and I expect good results and I always want more. I’ve had a good start to the season but I expect myself to do even better than that.”

Halep, who had won her only previous meeting with Bouchard in Indian Wells in March, rolled her left ankle sliding on the grass at 2-2, immediately heading to her chair to receive treatment.

The ankle was strapped up and, although it did not seem to affect her too much, movement is such a central part of her game that it was a blow.

Any nerves would have increased when, at 3-2 to Halep in the tie-break, a woman in the crowd was taken ill, requiring a lengthy stoppage.

The Romanian won the first point on the resumption but Bouchard won the tie-break and took victory on her sixth match point.