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Eugenie Bouchard Overcome With Emotion As She Finished Tennis Career in Home City

A perfect ending.
Eugenie Bouchard ended her tennis career in Montreal at the National Bank Open
Eugenie Bouchard ended her tennis career in Montreal at the National Bank Open | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Eugenie Bouchard's masterful tennis career came to a close Wednesday evening where it all began, in her hometown of Montreal.

Ahead of the National Bank Open in Montreal, Bouchard announced the event would be her last in a July 16 post on her X account. She entered the tournament as a wild card and won her first-round match Monday against WTA world No. 82 Emiliana Arango in three sets (6-4, 2-6, 6-2).

Bouchard then fell in the second round Wednesday to world No. 20 Belinda Bencic, also in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 4-6). The match marked the last for one of the best Canadian tennis players ever who reached the Wimbledon final in 2014 and had a career-high ranking of No. 5. A full-circle ending for an incredible player, who was overcome with emotions when her wonderful tennis career came to a close.

"It's so special to play my last match here in Montreal on this court in front of you guys," Bouchard said Wednesday following the defeat to Bencic. "I remember being a little kid sitting in these stands hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day."

She has been active on the professional pickleball tour, but the 31-year-old called it quits on the WTA tour in the most perfect way possible.


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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a writer at Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NBA and WNBA. Before joining SI in November 2024 as a breaking/trending news writer, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation and A10Talk. He’s an alum of both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure University, receiving a master’s degree from the Bonnies’ sports journalism program. Outside of work, he’s a husband, father, yogi and fairly mediocre tennis player who’s open to any tips on how to play defense in EA Sports College Football.