Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard has announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 31, with her final tournament set to be the upcoming National Bank Open in Montreal. The Canadian star, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2014, shared the news via social media on Wednesday, July 16, stating, “You’ll know when it’s time. For me, it’s now. Ending where it all started: Montreal.”
A Breakout Year: The 2014 Season
Bouchard’s professional career saw its most significant surge in 2014. At just 20 years old, she became the first Canadian woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, doing so at Wimbledon. She ultimately lost to Petra Kvitova in that final. Prior to her Wimbledon run, Bouchard also made deep runs at the year’s other Grand Slams, reaching the semifinals of both the Australian Open and the French Open. This remarkable consistency propelled her to a career-high ranking of world No. 5. Her stellar performance that year also earned her the WTA Most Improved Player award.
Career Highlights and Milestones
Beyond her Grand Slam successes, Bouchard secured her lone WTA singles title in 2014 at the Nuremberg Open. She made eight WTA-level finals during her career. She also represented Canada, notably as part of the team that won the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023. Before her retirement announcement, Bouchard had a professional singles record of 299-228. She also won the Wimbledon junior title in 2012.
Battling Injuries and Finding Her “Time”
Following her breakthrough year, Bouchard struggled to maintain her top form, largely due to a series of injuries that hampered her consistency and performance. A major shoulder injury in 2021 and 2022 significantly impacted her ability to compete, marking the beginning of the end of her career. Despite these challenges, she continued to make sporadic appearances on the ITF and WTA circuits, and in recent years, also ventured into professional pickleball.
Her decision to retire in Montreal, her hometown, holds significant meaning, as it’s where she made her main draw debut as a teenager in 2012. Valerie Tetreault, Tournament Director for the National Bank Open, expressed honor that Bouchard chose to retire at her home tournament, emphasizing her role as a “trailblazer who redefined what Canadian tennis could be.” The tournament is scheduled to take place between July 26 and August 7.
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