LONDON, UK – Once hailed as the future of women’s tennis, Eugenie Bouchard’s journey from a Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 sensation to her current career trajectory has been nothing short of a head-scratching puzzle for many. The stark reality of her prolonged struggles on the WTA tour, coupled with her recent pivot towards pickleball, has ignited fierce debate about the “truth” behind what some are calling a drastic decline.
In 2014, Bouchard was seemingly unstoppable, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and French Open, and captivating audiences with her aggressive game and charismatic personality before making it to the Wimbledon final. The world was at her feet, and lucrative endorsement deals followed suit. However, what followed was a precipitous drop in form, plagued by a string of injuries and a consistent inability to regain her top competitive level.
The 2015 US Open proved a turning point, as a concussion suffered from a locker room fall derailed her season and is often cited by analysts as a major factor in her subsequent struggles. Post-concussion, Bouchard battled to find her rhythm, often appearing tentative and lacking the fearless approach that defined her early success. Shoulder surgery in 2021 further sidelined her, pushing her ranking well outside the top hundreds, at one point dropping out of the top 1000.
While Bouchard has expressed a desire to return to elite tennis, her recent participation in pickleball tournaments, and commentary roles, indicates a clear shift in her priorities and competitive landscape. Some critics argue that the early fame and off-court distractions may have taken a toll on her singular focus on tennis, while others point to the relentless physical and mental demands of the professional tennis circuit as simply overwhelming for an athlete who faced such immense pressure at a young age. The truth, perhaps, lies somewhere in between – a confluence of unforgiving injuries, the mental toll of constant expectations, and a natural evolution of an athlete seeking new challenges and a different path. The dazzling promise of 2014 may have faded, but Genie Bouchard’s story remains a poignant reminder of the brutal realities of professional sports.
