Eugenie Bouchard has perhaps raised more questions than answers after playing what seemed to be her final match at the Canadian Open.
Bouchard announced that she would be retiring earlier this month, bringing an end to her 16-year career as a professional tennis player.
The Canadian has been less active on the WTA Tour in recent years, with Bouchard most famous for her Wimbledon final run in 2014.
Bouchard has shown some high calibre tennis at the Canadian Open this week, and she has now revealed whether this has made her reconsider retiring.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesEugenie Bouchard says if she would now reconsider her decision to retire
After beating Emiliana Arango in her first round match, Bouchard then went on to push Wimbledon semifinalist Belinda Bencic all the way before eventually falling to defeat.
Bouchard actually led the match by a break in the deciding set, and was asked in her post-match press conference if she was sure retirement was the right decision.
The former world number five admitted that even her sister was saying the same thing, but Bouchard admitted she is ready to move on.
“Everyone keeps asking me that,” responded Bouchard. “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.
“But 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.”
Eugenie Bouchard reveals if she is satisfied with how her career has ended
Bouchard has played very little tennis on the WTA Tour this year, and has played just 51 singles matches since 2020.
The 31-year-old was then asked if she was happy with how her tennis career has ended, prompting Bouchard to claim that she felt her career deserved a moment like that in front of her home crowd in Montreal.
“Yeah, like I said on court, I’ve always had a feeling I would end my career here,” said Bouchard. “Just makes sense. Montreal is where I was born and raised, so it just feels right. Yeah, just an emotional moment.
“I think I just wanted a moment like this because my career kind of deserved a moment like this is what I felt like. I really think I got it tonight, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Bouchard now leaves tennis with a career-high ranking of world number five, as a former Wimbledon finalist, Billie Jean King Cup champion and winner of one WTA title.