After playing the final tournament of her career at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in her hometown of Montreal this summer, Eugenie Bouchard wanted to take a moment to thank her legion of fans, affectionately known as the ‘Genie Army’, for their loyal support through the years which helped make her one of the most popular players of her generation.
“It's crazy playing in Montreal; the crowd is just incredible!” Those were my first words to Valérie Tétreault, the National Bank Open tournament director, as I walked off the court after winning my first-round match against Emiliana Arango, realizing that I would get to play again in this amazing atmosphere that is very unique to the city I call home.
That was part of the thought process of letting people know this would be my last tournament and specifically making Montreal my last one as well, it felt like the right time, it felt like the right location to do it. It was a full circle moment. I grew up playing on courts a few minutes away from IGA Stadium, so it's pretty crazy to have gone through this trajectory of my career and finish it again at this event that I came to as a kid and dreamed of playing in one day. I've played at those specific courts since I was seven years old. It's been a long journey, and it just made sense to do it back where I was born, where I was raised. Also selfishly, I wanted to get a lot of family to come out who didn't get to see me play that often. The fans in Montreal and Quebec are particularly passionate in Montreal and Quebec, and I have that in me too which is what helps us connect. So, if I could play one more time in front of them and enjoy it, then that's what I wanted to do.
READ: Eugenie Bouchard: Celebrating the Legacy of a Canadian Tennis Superstar
Away from the tournament, people were still stopping me on the street asking me for a picture, and I was like, ‘Of course, like, wow, you care enough to take 10 seconds of your time to ask me for a picture?’ I still have that feeling because I don't think it ever gets normal. I appreciate it so much, it’s an honour and I hope it makes their day and brings them joy. Even though it’s happened to me thousands of times in my life, every interaction still feels special.
I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a professional tennis player, and I also knew that if I had a certain level of success, the fandom would come with that. I knew what I was signing up for and that helped me embrace my fans from the very beginning. It just feels so nice to be appreciated and feel like your hard work has been seen and all the hours you put in is respected.
I just wanted to take a moment to express an extreme amount of gratitude to all my fans. Thank you for supporting me through the lows and not just the highs, and for being so passionate about me and about sports, about tennis.
You’ve made this whole experience so fulfilling, rewarding, and worthwhile!
Photos by: Amélie Caron & Sarah-Jäde Champagne
