Admitting to having changed a lot over the years, Eugenie Bouchard is a far cry from the WTA’s fifth rank she occupied in 2014 and her golden moments on the court, but despite a long crossing of the desert, she does not hasn’t thrown in the towel and says she’s ready for more good times in the world of tennis.
The 285th-ranked tennis player in the world, the 29-year-old has had her share of troubles in recent years, from shoulder and knee injuries to string of losses on the court. Her drop in the rankings forced her to submit to the qualifications of some important tournaments in which she wished to participate; this was also the case in Madrid these days, an event intended to be an excellent preparation for the French Open scheduled in a few weeks.
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And the Quebecer took an important step by ensuring her qualification and reaching the second round. Far from declaring victory, however, she intends to do everything to continue on the right track.
“I played some good games and I’m proud to have been able to play another game. Matchups are what I need right now, because I found myself on the sidelines quite often for a long time. It’s kind of a new start for me,” she said in an interview with the WTA website earlier this week.
Indeed, a large dose of humility is necessary to accept the obligation to climb the ladder again. Prior to her stint in Spain, Bouchard had taken part in an ITF event in Portugal with prize money totaling $100,000 and lost her second duel. The era of his final at Wimbledon in 2014 is, let’s say, over.
On the other hand, the player concerned seems serene and willing to experience tennis differently. “It’s difficult to reconcile the two eras: it’s almost two separate careers. It seems like it’s been a while, but also, not that long. It’s still me, except sometimes I think it’s been so long, she said. I am a different person and player. So, I retain the memories and the confidence and the certainty that I got there, but I also understand that it’s a decade later and I have to look forward as who I am today. I have to face the players of the present moment.
The pain is over
His right shoulder problems which required an operation and a 17-month absence in 2021 and 2022 were a pitfall which had consequences on his professional career. His perseverance was sorely tested.
“It’s the equivalent of being forced not to do what you love, of finding yourself on the bench. It takes a lot of patience and it took me a while, she said. Now, I’m not really patient, so I had to work on that. Nevertheless, I knew that I wanted to return to the game, since I did not want an injury to dictate the pace of my career.
Yet Bouchard could well afford to focus his energies elsewhere. After all, the pro circuit site puts its lifetime earnings at more than $6.7 million, not counting its sponsorship deals. On social networks, she is followed by several million subscribers.
It remains that the love of tennis is in her. In the shorter term, “Genie” hopes to reconnect with the world’s top 100, which should help him participate in more important tournaments, including the Grand Slam stages.
“I could just relax for life, but that’s not who I am. That’s why I got success. I am a fighter and I like to work hard. I could lie on a sofa and watch Netflix: it sounds attractive, sure, but after two days, I would go crazy, she said. I would need a project, something. While I’m still young, why not continue to play tennis? I will start other projects later, but for the moment, I want to see what I can accomplish between now and my decision not to play at all.