Eugenie Bouchard was left in tears as she entered retirement following a hard-fought battle at the Canadian Open. The former world No. 5 has barely played tennis in recent years but she took a wildcard into her home tournament in Montreal to say goodbye.
Bouchard won her opening match and then led No. 17 seed Belinda Bencic by a break in the third set on Wednesday evening before losing 6-2 3-6 6-4, and she immediately teared up before addressing the crowd in an emotional on-court ceremony.
“I’ll try not to cry,” Bouchard told the fans on centre court, even though she’d already shed a few tears after the handshake.
“I think it’s so special to play my last match here in Montreal on this court in front of you guys. I remember being a little kid, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day.
“I grew up playing on these courts and courts all around Montreal and near here, so it feels like such a full circle moment to finish my career here. Tennis has given me so much, I am filled with so much gratitude for this sport and for the people who helped me along the way.”
The 2014 Wimbledon runner-up had to wipe away tears as her voice broke while she attempted to pay tribute to her family.
She continued: “I want to thank my family. Mum, dad, my sisters and brother, for their sacrifice and support. It’s only because of that, that I’m standing here today.
“And I want you guys to know that when this crowd cheers for me, they’re cheering for you guys too, because I wouldn’t be here without you.”
Bouchard also addressed the crowd in French before she was honoured with a commemorative photo frame showcasing her achievements. The crowd held up a sign that read ‘Merci Genie’.
Aged 31, Bouchard was one of Canada’s most successful tennis players. She enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, lifting her first title in Nuremberg, reaching the Wimbledon final, cracking the world’s top five, and making it to two other Grand Slam semi-finals.
Since then, Bouchard has struggled to rediscover the form that saw her named the WTA’s Most Improved Player of the Year in 2014. She has faced several physical setbacks and taken some time away from the sport.
The 31-year-old has also started competing on the professional pickleball tour. Earlier this month, she announced her decision to retire from tennis at her home tournament.
However, Bouchard joked that she could be tempted to stay if she lifted the title in Montreal. While she didn’t manage to do that, she still pushed world No. 20 Bencic to three sets and was three games away from pulling off an upset.
Asked whether she was sure about her retirement after that performance, Bouchard replied: “Everyone keeps asking me that. My sister said she started a petition with fans in the crowd, and everyone signed it, so now I have no choice but to rescind my retirement.
“But there’s a lot of hard work that goes into tennis. It was great to be able to perform well, but you know, it’s such a tough life of sacrifice and hard work.
“I’ve given so much to tennis, and it’s given me so much, but I do feel ready to move on from that and do other things in life, but I will forever be grateful for what tennis has given me.”
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