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In front of a supportive home crowd in Montreal, Eugenie Bouchard gave everything she had in the final match of her professional tennis career. The former Wimbledon finalist pushed Belinda Bencic to three sets in an emotional farewell, walking off the court with pride and gratitude. We’ve gathered a powerful gallery of images by Jimmie48 that capture the raw moments of her goodbye.
The 31-year-old stepped onto the court at the Omnium Banque Nationale as a wildcard, unranked and facing the No. 17 seed. But despite the odds, she gave Bencic everything she had in a 6-2 3-6 6-4 loss that was anything but easy. It was a night filled with emotion and heart.
A final match worth remembering
Following her grueling three-set victory over counterpuncher Emiliana Arango on Monday night—where the electric Montreal crowd made it feel like an out-of-body experience—Bouchard returned to the court Wednesday with her upper left leg heavily taped. Considering she came into the tournament with just one singles match played in 2025, the physical toll was hardly unexpected.
Bouchard looked out of rhythm in the opening set against Bencic, losing it quickly after dropping serve twice. But in true Genie fashion, she fought back. The second set saw her break Bencic in the eighth game, then serve out the set to force a decider. With momentum on her side, Bouchard even went up 3-1 in the third, hinting at a potential fairytale finish.
But Bencic, an Olympic gold medalist, rallied with renewed focus, winning five of the next six games to halt Bouchard’s run and advance to face Karolina Muchova in the third round.
From teenage phenom to national icon
Bouchard’s rise was meteoric. In 2014, she reached the semifinals of both the Australian Open and French Open, before making a historic run to the Wimbledon final—the first Canadian to ever reach a Grand Slam singles final. That same year, she climbed to a career-high No. 5 in the WTA rankings and lifted her one and only WTA trophy in Nuremberg.
But the road ahead wasn’t smooth. A concussion sustained during the 2015 US Open marked a turning point. Though she continued competing, the consistency and dominance she once displayed never fully returned. Still, her name remained one of the most recognized in the sport.
Her breakthrough helped pave the way for the success of Milos Raonic, Bianca Andreescu, Denis Shapovalov, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
An emotional goodbye
Merci, Genie. ❤️🤍
Bouchard speaks to the home crowd in Canada one final time 🥹 #OBN25 pic.twitter.com/hKfJNd4biX
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 31, 2025
As the crowd at IGA Stadium gave her a standing ovation, Bouchard’s voice trembled with gratitude.
“I think it’s so special to play my last match on this court in front of you guys,” said Bouchard. “I remember being a little kid, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming of playing on this court one day.
“I grew up playing on these courts and courts all around Montreal and near here so it feels like such a full circle moment to finish my career here.”
“Tennis has given me so much. I’m filled with so much gratitude for this sport and for the people who helped me along the way,” she added, holding back tears while subsequently thanking her family, coaches and physios.
“How lucky am I to be able to live out my dreams. And finally, and maybe most importantly tonight, I would like to thank you, the fans. Your passion is incredible. The way you support someone from here, it’s something I’ll never forget.”
Bouchard plans to spend more time on the pickleball court now. She is only 31, so there’s plenty of time for a new chapter in the sport.
