Eugenie Bouchard’s Transition to Pickleball
Eugenie Bouchard, the Canadian tennis star known for her past Grand Slam successes, is currently making waves in the pickleball scene following a recent controversy. Once dubbed a rising star in tennis, Bouchard made headlines in 2014 when she reached the finals of Wimbledon at just 20 years old, and she also found herself in the semifinals of both the Australian Open and French Open that same year. However, her trajectory took a downturn after 2015; injuries and a struggle to regain form saw her plummet in the rankings, and she has not progressed past the fourth round of a Grand Slam since her last appearance at the 2015 US Open.
Controversy in Pickleball
Now, at the age of 31, Bouchard is participating in pickleball, a sport she took up while not officially retiring from tennis. Despite her dedication to the new game, challenges loom, especially with her long absence from the WTA Tour raising doubts about a potential return to elite tennis competition.
Recently, Bouchard and her teammate Jessie Irvine faced a 25% deduction in their appearance fees due to a dispute during a tournament where they played for the Phoenix Flames. Eyewitness Erik Tice reported that tensions flared when Irvine disapproved of Bouchard’s warm-up routine before their next match, leading to an intense verbal exchange. Following the confrontation, Irvine exited the venue and was not seen again for the day; however, she made a comeback on Sunday, teaming up with another Flames player to secure a surprising win against an opposing pair from the Columbus Sliders.
Despite this victory, speculation abounds regarding the future of Bouchard and Irvine as teammates, with many suggesting that a trade might be necessary for either athlete if they cannot mend their differences.
Mixed Results and Advocacy
Bouchard’s current endeavors in pickleball have seen mixed results; she and former tennis champion Andy Roddick fell short against legendary players Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf in a recent exhibition match, where the seasoned duo exhibited their mastery of the sport.
In a different aspect of her life, Bouchard has also been vocal about her mental health struggles during an appearance on Caroline Garcia’s Tennis Insider Club Podcast. She expressed that the conversation surrounding mental health was not as recognized during her peak tennis years, suggesting that earlier awareness could have potentially aided in her resilience during challenging times. In the past year, Bouchard has joined several athletes, including Grigor Dimitrov, in advocating for better acknowledgment of mental health issues, encouraging others to speak out about their personal challenges.
