Tennis star Swiatek comfortably advances, Osaka fights hard, Bouchard retires in Montreal tournament
In a heartfelt and historic moment, Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard, the former Wimbledon finalist, played her final professional match at the National Bank Open in Montreal. Bouchard, who started her tennis journey in the city at the age of five, retired from the sport after a gutsy second-round loss to Switzerland's Belinda Bencic.
Bouchard's career was marked by significant achievements, including reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 5, becoming the first Canadian woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon in 2014, and winning her first WTA singles title in Nuremberg the same year. She also made the semifinals at both the Australian Open and French Open in 2014, qualified for the prestigious WTA Finals, and received notable awards like WTA Newcomer of the Year (2013) and WTA Most Improved Player (2014).
Bouchard's career was not without its challenges. She suffered injuries, including a concussion from a locker room slip at the 2015 US Open and a shoulder injury that required surgery in 2021.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, the Wimbledon champion, sailed through her first match since winning at Wimbledon, defeating Chinese qualifier Guo Hanyu 6-3, 6-1. Swiatek, seeded second, broke Guo's serve six times to secure her spot in the third round of the tournament. Her victory over Guo came after her crushing victory over Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final.
In another notable match, Naomi Osaka battled through to Montreal, but Bouchard's career came to an end. Osaka saved two match points in her match against Liudmila Samsonova, eventually winning 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. Samsonova served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but lost.
Elsewhere, Madison Keys, the sixth seed, avenged a third-round loss to Laura Siegemund with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in her opening match. The IMMAF Youth World Championships also got underway in Al Ain.
As Bouchard prepares to embrace this unique moment in her life and celebrate her journey rather than mourn it, she expressed gratitude for the support she received throughout her career and looked forward to savoring her farewell experience. Her retirement in Montreal was emotionally significant as she had started playing tennis at age five in the city and finished her professional journey where it began, describing the moment as a "full circle" event.
References: 1. Tennis.com 2. CBC Sports 3. ESPN 4. BBC Sport
- Bouchard's retirement from tennis marks the end of an illustrious career filled with achievements in sports, entertainment, and news, such as reaching a career-high rank of World No. 5, winning the WTA Newcomer of the Year award, and playing in a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.
- Despite the setbacks and injuries faced, like the concussion at the 2015 US Open and the shoulder injury that required surgery in 2021, Bouchard's career afforded her a unique sense of pride and accomplishment.
- In his career, Bouchard joined forces with the world of business, partnering with brands to sponsor his games and career, creating a binding relationship between sports, entertainment, and commerce.
- As her tennis journey comes to an end, Bouchard is prepared to move onto new ventures, exploring potential interests in games, career opportunities, and news, eager to unfold the next chapters of her life's trajectory.
