Eugenie Bouchard said she wanted her tennis farewell this week to be a celebration and not a funeral. The ever-passionate fans in Montreal duly obliged -- and the party is going to continue for a little bit longer at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
Bouchard extended her career in her hometown by beating Colombia’s Emiliana Arango in a gripping three-setter that featured completely contrasting styles.
While Bouchard kept true to her game by wanting to attack and take balls early, Arango preferred to counter, paving the way for some incredible rallies. Bouchard won most of them as part of her 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory in two hours, 14 minutes at a rocking IGA Stadium.
Mom Julie burst out of her chair in joy in Bouchard’s player box and seconds later, an emotional Bouchard saluted the crowd. It was her first WTA victory since 2023 -- and first in Montreal since 2016.
Her opportunities to win matches over the years lessened, with Bouchard only playing one singles match this year prior to Montreal. Injuries and other pursuits were the reasons. As a result, she has no ranking and needed a wildcard to get into the main draw.
This, 11 years after becoming the first player to represent Canada to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
“I didn't know what to expect,” said Bouchard. “I woke up this morning just telling myself, ‘Look, I can't control the result. I just want to have a good attitude, have good fight, and try feel good with my shots, feel good with my game.’
“No matter what happens, I wanted to walk off the court having enjoyed that kind of gritty battle, and it definitely turned into one of those battles. I enjoyed every second of it.”
READ: Eugenie Bouchard: Celebrating the Legacy of a Canadian Tennis Superstar
The 31-year-old intends to focus on pickleball when her tennis career officially ends, which may not give her the same adrenaline rush as she experienced Monday night. Those fans were never more loud than when a hustling Bouchard earned a double break for 5-1 in the third, chasing balls down before authoring a forehand passing shot that prompted a backhand volley error from her opponent.
The atmosphere at that moment, Bouchard said, felt like an out of body experience and she admitted to losing her concentration in the next game.
“There were definitely moments where I had to kind of almost block out the noise and just pretend it was a normal point that just happened and just keep going because the crowd was very loud out there, and I really, really appreciated it,” said Bouchard.
Bouchard inflicted damage the game before, holding from 30-all by delivering an ace that caught a tiny fraction of the line and then drilling a vintage forehand swinging volley.
‘Rolling back the years’ is a term often used when a veteran in the latter stages of her career produces magic and besides the above, Bouchard’s punched backhand down the line on the counter late in the first set sure harkened memories of her glory days.
Arango, world no. 82 -- who was making her tournament debut five months after a 500-level final in Mexico -- got back into the contest in the second set as Bouchard tried to finish at the net more, without much success. She speculated her time on the pickleball court adversely affected her volleys. But overall when she landed her first serve in the final two sets, Bouchard prospered, winning roughly 75 percent of those points.
While Bouchard is on the way out in her tennis career, her next opponent, Belinda Bencic, only recently returned to action after becoming a mom. The no. 17-seeded Swiss has impressed, too, just reaching the Wimbledon semifinals.
Her 3-0 record against Bouchard -- including a win in Toronto on the way to the 2016 title -- suggests Wednesday might not mimic Monday. If that’s the case, Bouchard (and the Genie Army) at least had the chance to savour a ‘W’ at home one last time.
- Ravi Ubha
Arseneault can't overcome Osaka in first round
Ariana Arseneault was unable to overcome a tough first-round opponent at the National Bank Open, falling to Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 on Monday.
The 23-year-old Canadian was making her WTA 1000 main draw debut after qualifying over the weekend. She drew former US Open and Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka, who showed flashes of her former top form this afternoon.
Ranked No. 49, Osaka will advance to take on No. 16 Liudmila Samsonova in the second round.
Read also: NBO Montreal Sunday: Mboko, Andreescu, Mboko All Start with Wins
Arseneault put up a hard-fought first set against the former world No. 1. Things were evenly matched through the first four games before Osaka broke the Canadian to take a 3-2 lead. Not to be outdone, the Richmond Hill, Ont., native broke her right back to even the set at 4-4. The four-time Grand Slam champion found another gear in response, breaking Arseneault right back. Osaka would hold her serve to take the first set 6-4.
Arseneault got the crowd at IGA Stadium on its feet with a spectacular shot to open the second set. Osaka attempted a drop at the net, but the Canadian charged and hit a perfectly-placed cross-court winner. Arseneault would go on to hold and open the set up 1-0.
Osaka would once again flip the switch against her more inexperienced opponent to take full control for the remainder of the afternoon. The 27-year-old would break Arseneault twice to go up a double break and put the second round in her sights. Osaka did not let up and finished the match quickly, holding at love to go up 5-1. Arseneault would extend the set with a hold, but could not push Osaka any further after failing to convert a break point down 5-2 in the second set.
It’s Osaka’s first win at the National Bank Open in nearly seven years.
Arseneault, the world No. 122, qualified for the main draw in Montreal with a 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over Destanee Aiava.
-Jonathan Chan
Cross eliminated by Rakhimova in opening match
After winning the Road to the NBO, Kayla Cross’ time in Montreal ended in the first round, losing to world No. 62 Kamilla Rakhimova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.
The Canadian had some ups and downs on serve, firing six aces compared to her opponent’s zero. But Cross was under extensive pressure on her delivery as she faced 13 break points, saving nine, and committed eight double faults to Rakhimova’s one.
Read also: Fernandez Earns Biggest Career Title With Washington Final Win Over Kalinskaya
Cross was strong in the opening set, securing an early break in the third game as she eventually led 3-1 after a hold. The London-native was broken at 4-3 but broke back to give herself the opportunity to serve out the set, which she did.
The second set was where Rakhimova began to pile on the pressure on Cross’ serve. At 1-2, love-40, the Canadian won five-straight points to save all three break points and level the set.
However, Rakhimova converted on a break point at 3-2 and the 23-year-old held the rest of the way to send the match to a decisive set.
Read also: Top seed Rochon wins U18 Fischer Outdoor Junior National Championships Girls’ Singles Title
To begin the third, Cross went down a break after the first game and, attempting to break back, the 20-year-old went up love-40 but was unable to convert, falling behind0-2.
At 4-2, 40-15 on Cross’ serve, Rakhimova went on a dominant run, winning nine of the next 11 points to break and wrap up the match on serve. The world No. 62 won 71 per cent of her first-serve points in the win.
- Francesco Tosini
Branstine comes up just short against Sakkari
Carson Branstine could not complete the dream night for the Canadians at IGA Stadium, getting edged out in her main draw debut at the National Bank Open by former world No. 3 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
Branstine was under pressure right from the start, facing a pair of break points in her opening service game before being broken in her second. She was then broken again to go down 2-5.
When Sakkari served for the set, the Canadian made a push to keep it going, getting her first break point opporunity of the night. Sakkari saved it, though, going on to close out the set on her first set point.
Early in the second, Branstine again found herself in trouble on serve down 15-40. However, this time she fought back, ultimately saving three break points in the game before holding.
Again, Sakkari ran into trouble on her own serve late in the set and this time, Branstine pounced. She converted her second break point of the game to go up 5-3 before promptly serving it out to send the match to a deciding set.
The Greek appeared to seize the momentum when she broke on her way to a 3-0 lead in the decider, but Branstine clawed back to level the set. The pair continued to trade holds until the Canadian served to stay in the match at 5-6. She had a point to sent the match to a tiebreak but Sakkari blasted a forehand winner, the first of three straight points to break to snag the win.
- Pete Borkowski
Feature Photo: Tennis Canada
