Eugenie Bouchard will officially bring her professional tennis career to a close later this month at the National Bank Open in Montreal, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has announced her withdrawal from the tournament, citing physical exhaustion. The developments come just weeks before the start of the US Open, which will be broadcast live from August 24.
Bouchard, who famously reached the Wimbledon final in 2014, confirmed on social media that she has decided to retire from the sport at age 31. In her post, she stated, “You’ll know when it’s time. For me, it’s now. Ending where it all started: Montreal.” The Canadian tennis star first rose to prominence over a decade ago when she stormed into the Wimbledon final, falling to Petra Kvitova. That year marked the peak of her career, as she also reached the semi-finals at both the Australian Open and French Open, climbing to a career-high ranking of world No. 5.
Despite a strong start to 2015, including a quarter-final run at the Australian Open, her progress was halted by a serious concussion suffered after slipping on a wet locker room floor at the US Open. The injury forced her to withdraw from the tournament mid-way and significantly impacted her form in the seasons that followed. Bouchard filed a lawsuit against the US Tennis Association, and in 2018, a jury found the USTA primarily liable, resulting in a settlement.
Although her career trajectory changed, Bouchard remained a key figure in Canadian tennis. She played a pivotal role in helping Canada win its first-ever Billie Jean King Cup title in 2023 and later ventured into pickleball, making only a single appearance on the WTA Tour this season. She retires with a professional singles record of 299 wins and 230 losses. Valerie Tetreault, tournament director of the National Bank Open, hailed Bouchard as a trailblazer for Canadian tennis, saying, “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.”
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka has opted to skip the Montreal tournament in order to recover from a demanding stretch of competitions. The Belarusian, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and Berlin and finished as runner-up at Roland Garros, cited fatigue as the reason for her decision. In a statement released by Tennis Canada, Sabalenka said, “I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal. I’ll miss my amazing Canadian fans, but I’m already looking forward to seeing you all next year. Thanks for your understanding and support—it means the world to me.”
With Bouchard preparing for her final match and Sabalenka taking time to rest, the National Bank Open will carry a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. Coverage of the US Open begins August 24.
