Eugenie Bouchard fights back tears after last tennis match of career
Eugenie Bouchard couldn’t contain her emotions on Wednesday night as the tennis star said goodbye to the sport she loves for one final time after falling in the National Bank Open in Montreal.
Bouchard, 31, addressed the crowd after she fell to No. 17 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the final singles match of her professional tennis career.
She confirmed earlier in July that she planned to play her final tournament in her hometown and struggled to compose herself as she spoke to the crowd.
“Tennis has given me so much. I am filled with so much gratitude for this sport and the people that helped me along the way,” she said before pausing momentarily to collect herself. “I want to thank my mom, dad, sisters, & brother for their sacrifice and support. I want you to know, when this crowd cheers for me, they’re cheering for you too. I wouldn’t be here without you.
“Also to all the coaches, physios, trainers, everyone I’ve worked with. You all know who you are. Because of your hard work I was able to live out my dreams, thank you!”
Bouchard had a memorable career, becoming the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to reach a Grand Slam singles final and the first Canadian to rank in the WTA’s top 5.
She reached the semifinals in the 2014 Australian Open and the French Open and made it to the final at Wimbledon that year, where she lost to Petra Kvitova.
“With her standout achievements on court and engagement with fans, Genie has inspired a generation of young Canadians and helped grow the popularity of tennis around the world. On behalf of the WTA, I wish her every happiness and success as she sets out to conquer fresh challenges,” WTA CEO Portia Archer said in a statement on Wednesday night.
Before her final match on Wednesday, actor and star of the hit CBS sitcom “Big Bang Theory” Jim Parsons wrote a heartfelt tribute to Bouchard, recalling the wild ride he experienced following her run at Wimbledon in 2014.
Parsons recalled how he and his husband, Todd Spiewak, were invited to watch Bouchard play after they were introduced to each other by their managers.
After schedules were sorted, Parsons and Spiewak flew to London to watch the Canadian star make it all the way to the final round.
“I will be rooting for her, this time on TV again… Whatever the result of the match and this tournament, if Genie is really hanging up the racket, at least as a professional, I wanted to write this congratulations/thank you/ode to her, in case,” he wrote.
“Genie, I will never forget the steely focus and icy resolve you had as a player, something I may not have understood had you not invited me into your world to witness up close…
“Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished. Thank you — and your whole family—for being so inclusive to us groupies for two weeks in Wimbledon.”