Genie Bouchard Announces Retirement Ahead of Montreal Return

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Montreal, Jul 17 (AP) Genie Bouchard, a standout Canadian tennis player who memorably reached the Wimbledon final and two other Grand Slam semifinals in 2014, has announced her retirement from professional tennis.

Bouchard will make her final appearance on the professional circuit later this month at the National Bank Open in Montreal, her hometown. Tennis Canada confirmed on Wednesday that she will be granted a wild card entry into the tournament.

The 31-year-old shared her decision on social media, writing, “You'll know when it's time. For me, it's now,” accompanied by photos of her on the court. “Ending where it all started: Montreal.”

At her peak, Bouchard reached No. 5 in the WTA rankings and claimed her only singles title in 2014. Her memorable run saw her reach the Wimbledon final, where she was defeated by Petra Kvitova, as well as the semifinals of both the Australian Open and the French Open that year.

In 2015, Bouchard made it to the quarterfinals in Australia but tragically, her career trajectory altered after sustaining a concussion due to a fall on a wet locker room floor at the U.S. Open. This forced her to withdraw from her fourth-round match. Subsequently, she sued the U.S. Tennis Association, and a jury found the organization was 75% responsible while she was deemed 25% responsible.

More recently, Bouchard contributed to Canada’s success in winning the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023, but her focus has shifted largely to pickleball, with only one match played on tour this year. Her career singles record stands at 299-230.

Valerie Tetreault, the National Bank Open tournament director, praised Bouchard, stating, “She has been one of the most important figures in the history of our sport in Canada and a trailblazer who redefined what Canadian tennis could be. We are proud of everything she has done, as a player and role model, and we can't wait to see her in action one last time at IGA Stadium this summer.”

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