Eugenie Bouchard to retire from tennis at home in Montreal after National Bank Open
CBC
Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, who reached No. 5 in the WTA rankings in a breakout 2014 season, is retiring from tennis at this year's National Bank Open in Montreal.
Tennis Canada announced Bouchard's retirement at her hometown tournament in a news release Wednesday and said she will receive a main-draw wild card into the WTA 1000 hardcourt tournament, which begins July 26.
The Montreal-born Bouchard made it to the Wimbledon women's final in 2014, losing to Petra Kvitova in straight sets. She became the first Canadian woman in the open era to contest a Grand Slam singles final.
She also reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the French Open and qualified for the WTA Finals in 2014 en route to winning the tour's most improved player award. Bouchard's 2014 season also included her only WTA title at the clay-court Nuremberg Cup.
"She has been one of the most important figures in the history of our sport in Canada and a trailblazer who redefined what Canadian tennis could be," said Valerie Tetreault, the National Bank Open tournament director. "We are proud of everything she has done, as a player and role model, and we can't wait to see her in action one last time at IGA Stadium this summer."
While injuries, including a concussion at the 2015 U.S. Open, and inconsistent form prevented he from reaching those heights on the WTA Tour again, she remained an important part of Canada's women's team.
The 31-year-old represented Canada at the Olympic Games in 2016 and earned 13 match wins over 10 Billie Jean King Cup ties. She teamed with Gabriela Dabrowski in two group-stage doubles victories as part of Canada's first-ever BJK Cup title in 2023.
"You'll know when it's time. For me, it's now. Ending where it all started: Montreal," Bouchard posted on the X social media platform.
Tennis Canada chief executive officer Gavin Ziv thanked Bouchard for her contributions to tennis in Canada.
"Few athletes have left as profound a mark on Canadian tennis as Genie has throughout her extraordinary career," Ziv said in a news release, adding her achievements early in her career were "things that many thought would be impossible for Canadian players."
"Her career highlights, which include a Wimbledon final appearance and a Billie Jean King Cup championship, are nothing short of extraordinary and were a true catalyst for the development of tennis in our country," he added. "She's been and still is an incredible ambassador for our sport and, on behalf of Tennis Canada, I want to thank her for everything she's done."
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 10th-ranked Paula Badosa have withdrawn from the upcoming National Bank Open.
Sabalenka said in a release that she will miss her Canadian fans, but skipping Montreal gives her the best chance of success in the upcoming hard-court season.
Badosa said after a first-round loss to Katie Boulter at Wimbledon that she sustained a back injury that will keep her out of action for a few weeks.
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