Earlier this month, Eugenie Bouchard announced her retirement from the sport, setting the stage for this final farewell in Montreal. The end came with grace under pressure.
Bouchard stepped onto her home court in Montreal one final time, carrying the emotional weight of her farewell tour. After getting past Emiliana Arango in her opening round, Bouchard valiantly bowed out against Belinda Bencic, with the scoreline reading 2-6, 6-3, 4-6.
How Did Eugenie Bouchard Handle Questions About Reconsidering Retirement?
When the dust settled and the final point was played, reporters wanted to know if the competitive fire might change her mind.
Bouchard’s response showed the same wit that endeared her to fans throughout her career. “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,” she joked.
Her sisters Beatrice and Charlotte, along with brother William, provided crucial support throughout her tennis journey. An emotional Bouchard acknowledged their support during her farewell speech in Montreal.
However, beneath the humor lay genuine conviction, as Bouchard made it clear she’s ready to move beyond the tennis courts and explore new chapters in her life. “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.”
For someone who’s spent most of her adult life following rigid training schedules and tournament circuits, Bouchard’s first priority sounded refreshingly simple.
“Maybe a vacation,” Bouchard said. “I look forward to sleeping in tomorrow. Yeah, I mean, I want to give myself the opportunity to have space and time to really reflect on what I want to do and have that time to be open to opportunities.”
Beyond rest and reflection, she’s considering paths that many professional athletes never get to explore. Education tops her list of possibilities.
She added, “I’ve always said I feel like I missed out because I didn’t go to college and didn’t go to school, so that could be an option as well. Diving into the TV stuff more is definitely something I enjoy, so that’s a probable next step.”
Why Does Bouchard’s Legacy Matter to Canadian Tennis?
Bouchard, 31, is considered one of the biggest icons in Canadian tennis and is credited with increasing the sport’s popularity in the North American nation. Her magical 2014 season remains highlight-worthy in Canadian tennis.
Starting at the Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals before falling to champion Li Na, Bouchard announced herself as a force on the global stage.
That breakthrough continued with her first WTA singles title at the Nuremberg Cup, where she defeated Karolína Plíšková in the final. The momentum carried into the French Open, where she again reached the semifinals, this time losing to eventual champion Maria Sharapova.
The pinnacle came at Wimbledon, where Bouchard became the first Canadian-born player to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Though she lost to Petra Kvitová in straight sets, the achievement elevated her to a career-high world No. 5 in October.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed her career trajectory after that breakthrough campaign, preventing her from maintaining the consistency that made 2014 so special.
Today, Bouchard continues competing in pickleball tournaments, having joined the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour in 2024, showing that her competitive spirit remains alive in new forms.
