MONTREAL — The curtain on Eugenie Bouchard’s retirement is on hold.
The former world No. 5, who made history as the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam final during the open era, dazzled audiences by defeating Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in an electrifying first-round match at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, securing at least one more outing in her tennis journey.
“I told my family that if I won the tournament, I’d consider coming out of retirement,” she shared from centre court, relishing a moment of nostalgia. “I felt like the old Genie out there.”
Bouchard, who recently celebrated her 300th singles victory, announced on July 16 that she intended to retire following her hometown tournament.
The 31-year-old from Westmount, Quebec, rose to fame in 2014 with an unforgettable season, reaching the Wimbledon final, as well as the semifinals at the Australian Open and French Open, all while capturing her sole WTA title.
Though she struggled to regain that exceptional form in subsequent years, for one night, she rekindled her former brilliance—hitting the ball with artistry and executing stunning forehand winners.
“This morning, I told myself to focus on my attitude, give it my all, and just enjoy the game,” she reflected. “No matter the outcome, I wanted to leave the court feeling I had given my all in a true battle.”
“I cherished every moment on that court.”
Currently ranked 1,062nd, Bouchard has shifted her focus away from professional tennis in recent years, finding a new passion in the PPA Pickleball Tour, where she ranks 12th in singles.
Aware this might be her final performance, fans filled IGA Stadium, erupting with applause as she stepped onto the court, rallying behind her with spirited chants of “Let’s Go Genie!” and “Allez Eugenie!” with each exhilarating point.
The energy of the crowd surged through Bouchard, at times overwhelming.
After breaking Arango twice in the decisive third set, first with a powerful forehand and then benefitting from a misplayed volley by the Colombian to secure a 5-1 lead, Bouchard described the moment as “out-of-body.”
“The roar of the crowd was so overwhelming that I lost touch with my body for about 30 seconds,” she admitted. “And strangely, I ended up losing that game afterward.”
As Bouchard served for the match at 5-2, Arango managed to break back, but the Canadian quickly regained control, reaching 40-love in the next game. A wayward backhand from Arango on Bouchard’s second match point sealed the victory.
In disbelief, Bouchard raised her hands in jubilation, blowing kisses to the crowd and playfully acknowledging a fan with an enthusiastic “I love you, too!”
“The atmosphere was electric,” Bouchard expressed. “I am incredibly proud of how I fought and stayed focused throughout the match. It was both a physical and mental challenge, and playing in Montreal before this crowd was simply exhilarating.”
Next up for Bouchard is a second-round showdown against 17th seed Belinda Bencic from Switzerland this Wednesday night.
She showcased glimpses of her aggressive playing style, forcing Arango out of position with a potent backhand before claiming a forehand winner to lead 1-0 in the first set.
After holding serve to go up 5-4, Bouchard seized double breakpoint, executing a stunning forehand winner down the line to clinch the set.
“I know I have the skill; I just wasn’t sure if I could bring it today,” she said. “I’ve put in serious effort in practice recently and was determined to perform well. It depended on my mental focus and not getting caught up in the emotions surrounding this match and tournament.”
“I’m proud that I managed to stay focused.”
Despite a strong start, Bouchard couldn’t maintain her momentum in the second set as Arango broke her three times, comfortably forcing a decisive third set. However, she quickly reclaimed her rhythm.
In other matches on Monday, Canadian players Kayla Cross, Ariana Arseneault, and Carson Branstine exited the NBO in the first round.
Cross squandered a one-set lead, falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova, while Arseneault lost 6-4, 6-2 to Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Branstine, who represents Canada despite hailing from California, battled for over two hours against former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari but ultimately lost 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
Toronto’s Victoria Mboko, Bianca Andreescu from Mississauga, and Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino progressed to the second round after winning their matches on Sunday.
Andreescu’s availability for the rest of the tournament remains uncertain following an injury to her left ankle during match point against Czechia’s Barbora Krejcikova.
