French Open semi-final pits Maria Sharapova against ‘The Next Sharapova’ Eugenie Bouchard

THE top women’s seeds at the French Open are all gone, but organisers can’t be too upset with one of the semi-finals that will take place tonight.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates victory during her women's singles match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain on day ten of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2014 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

THE top women’s seeds at the French Open are all gone, but the tournament’s organisers can’t be too upset with one of the semi-finals that will take place tonight.

Maria Sharapova, the former world No. 1 and long-time glamour girl of tennis, will square off against 20-year-old Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, the rising star who has been winning over fans with her fresh looks and bubbly persona.

Like Sharapova, Bouchard is tall, blonde and ready-to-sponsor — and has the game to match.

Since losing to Sharapova in the second round of last year’s French Open, Bouchard has climbed steadily through the rankings, punctuated by a fan-favourite run to the Australian Open semi-finals as the 30th seed. She won her maiden WTA title last week in Nuremberg, Germany, setting herself up for a strong run at Roland Garros.

Eugenie Bouchard rejoices after beating Carla Suarez Navarro.

Maria Sharapova celebrates victory over Garbine Muguruza at the French Open.

Though Bouchard grew up idolising Sharapova, she made it clear she will not be blinded by the Russian’s star power.

“We’re not friends, so there is that,” Bouchard said after her quarter-final victory over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

“Of course as a child I looked up to her, and I remember watching her in the finals of Wimbledon and, you know, thought what she was doing was so cool and I wanted to do the same thing. We’re in the semis of a grand slam, so I’m going to respect her, but not put her too high on a pedestal and really just battle.”

Sharapova sends down a big serve.

This isn’t the first time Bouchard has projected a no-nonsense, detached approach. In April, before Canada took on Slovakia in a Fed Cup match-up, she did not shake her opponent’s hand before the match, calling the custom “lame”.

Bouchard expanded on her attitude yesterday.

“I don’t think the tennis tour is the place to have friends,” she explained. “For me, it’s all competition.”

Bouchard returns serve.

Sharapova, perhaps sensing Bouchard coming for her trophy-winning, cover girl perch in the sport, said she has a similar attitude.

“I treat my career and my work as a very serious profession, and I know that what has got me my success is the fact that I’m a big competitor and that I don’t want to give anyone a chance,” she said. “This is a battlefield for me, and I want to win.”