Even though it dropped to 285e world rank, Eugenie Bouchard is playing good tennis at the Madrid tournament this week, and the biting side to which she has sometimes accustomed her admirers has also followed. Thursday, the Quebecer subtly pointed out that in her last two appearances in the Spanish capital, she had each time defeated a player who had already served a suspension for doping in the past.
“There’s something about playing against dopes in Madrid…”, wrote “Genie” on his Twitter account, before deleting his message a little later.
Then, to a user who pointed out to her that she was now showing a 2-0 record against players who had already been taken for doping, the 29-year-old player replied, accompanying her reply with an emoticon that laughs to tears: “I’m just trying to do my part.”
‘Genie’ seems to have a good memory: Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, her first-round rival on Wednesday, did not play for six months at the start of 2021, after being suspended for ingesting mesterolone, a drug that is also considered an anabolic steroid.
Yastremska, however, was cleared by the International Tennis Federation later that year.
“She should be banned for life”
Then, in 2017, in her last participation in the prestigious tournament, Bouchard had surprised in the first round none other than the Russian Maria Shapova. The former world number 1 had made her return to competition two weeks earlier.
Screenshot, TVA Sports
The star of the women’s circuit had just served a 15-month suspension for consuming meldonium, a substance which had been banned by the international tennis federation in 2015.
Bouchard had not been soft at the time towards the one she had considered an idol in her youth.
“She’s a cheater and she should be banned for life,” the former top 5 network TRT World said. I don’t think cheaters should be allowed to return to play in any sport. It’s unfair for all the other players and the WTA sends a very bad message to young people, telling them that we will welcome them with open arms after cheating.
Eugenie is no doubt hoping that this funny coincidence will result in the same winning streak as six years ago: after beating Sharapova, who was then 59e world had reached the quarters in Madrid.
The Quebecer will face Italian Martina Trevisan, a clay court specialist ranked 20eFriday in the second round (around 6:20 a.m. EST).
Andreescu’s comeback
Bouchard won’t be the only Canadian competing on Friday. Bianca Andreescu, ranked 23e seeded, will return to the game, a month after suffering two ligament tears in his left ankle in the middle of a match.
Andreescu will face China’s Wang Xiyu, 65 around 10 a.m.e in the world.
Their compatriot Rebecca Marino saw her tournament end on Thursday. The 79e world was sharply beaten in the second round – 6-3, 6-1 – by Belgian Elise Mertens, 24e seeded in Madrid.
– With QMI Agency