MONTREAL — Eugenie Bouchard did not seem like a participant limping into retirement.
You would be forgiven for considering she was nonetheless in her prime.
On middle court docket in her hometown, Bouchard delivered an exciting efficiency – and a heartfelt goodbye to tennis – with a hard-fought loss in her remaining match Wednesday evening.
“I’ve at all times had a sense I’d finish my profession right here,” Bouchard stated. “Montreal is the place I used to be born and raised, so it simply feels proper. An emotional second. I believe I simply wished a second like this as a result of my profession deserved a second like this.
“I actually suppose I received it tonight, and I am so grateful for that.”
The 31-year-old bowed out 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 within the Nationwide Financial institution Open’s second spherical towards seventeenth seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland however electrified the gang towards a top-tier opponent – displaying flashes of the assertive recreation that after powered her rise to world No. 5 in 2014.
So is she positive about retiring?
“My sister stated she began a petition with followers within the crowd, and everybody signed it, so now I’ve no selection however to rescind my retirement,” Bouchard stated, smiling. “However there’s plenty of laborious work that goes into tennis. It was nice to have the ability to carry out effectively, however it’s such a troublesome lifetime of sacrifice and laborious work.
“I’ve given a lot to tennis, and it is given me a lot, however I do really feel prepared to maneuver on from that and do different issues in life, however I’ll endlessly be thankful for what tennis has given me.”
Bouchard had prolonged her Montreal run with a throwback first-round upset Monday evening towards Emiliana Arango, her first WTA Tour victory since 2023.
The native favourite turned again the clock once more Wednesday by rallying from down a set, however Bencic held on to win the match in two hours, 16 minutes.
Followers packing the stands at IGA Stadium chanted “Let’s Go Genie!” and grew louder all through the evening, standing for a number of ovations.
Bouchard returned the favor with an emotional, teary-eyed speech throughout an on-court ceremony.
“It is so particular to play my final match right here in Montreal, on this court docket, in entrance of you guys,” she stated. “I bear in mind being a bit of child, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I’d play on this court docket sooner or later.
“It appears like such a full-circle second.”
And her profession virtually continued a bit of longer.
After a tough first set, Bouchard bounced again to win the second and went up a break early within the third, successful a back-and-forth third recreation when Bencic’s shot dipped into the web on the Canadian’s fifth breakpoint alternative.
Bencic regrouped and broke again to tie at 3-3 as Bouchard sprayed photographs broad and lengthy. Trailing 5-4 and needing to carry serve, Bouchard fell in a 40-love gap and despatched her backhand broad whereas defending the second match level, ending her upset bid.
“I knew I may win the match,” she stated. “It was actually shut from the second onward.”
As an alternative, it marks the tip of a roller-coaster profession.
Bouchard peaked in the course of the 2014 season, successful her solely WTA singles title, reaching the Australian Open and French Open semis and changing into the primary Canadian to play in a Grand Slam singles remaining at Wimbledon.
However Bouchard’s fast rise at 20 additionally rapidly got here falling down after her 6-3, 6-0 loss to Petra Kvitova on the All England Membership.
Her extremely anticipated homecoming one month later ended abruptly with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 loss towards American qualifier Shelby Rogers on the then-called Rogers Cup. And the next 12 months, Bouchard crashed out of the French Open and Wimbledon first rounds as shedding streaks piled up.
A run to the U.S. Open fourth spherical hinted at a return to kind, till Bouchard suffered a concussion from slipping within the locker room – for which she later filed a lawsuit – forcing her to withdraw from the event.
Lately, Bouchard has sporadically performed on the professional tennis circuit, spending extra time on the PPA Pickleball Tour, the place she ranks twelfth in singles.
She ramped up for her remaining occasion with the WTA 125 Corridor of Fame Open in July – her first event since final 12 months’s Nationwide Financial institution Open – and misplaced her opener in straight units.
As for what’s subsequent, Bouchard says she seems ahead to sleeping in, occurring trip and reflecting on what she needs to do with the remainder of her life.
“I really feel like I missed out as a result of I did not go to varsity and did not go to highschool,” she stated. “Diving into the TV stuff extra is unquestionably one thing I get pleasure from, in order that’s a possible subsequent step. I imply, are any of you guys hiring (laughing)? I do not know find out how to even write – what do you even name it once you …”.
The phrase Bouchard was in search of? Resume.
“I do not even have a kind of,” she stated. “Possibly my agent can provide you with one for me. I am not used to doing that.”
