'Full-circle moment', as Bouchard ends career on home soil

Canadian Eugenie Bouchard brought the curtain down on her career on Wednesday after the former world No 5 lost 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to Belinda Bencic in the second round of the WTA National Bank Open in Montreal.

The 31-year-old, who announced earlier this month that the tournament in her hometown would be her last, looked overmatched against 17th seed Bencic in the first set, but rallied in the second, breaking with a blistering forehand to take a 5-3 lead before going on to level the match.

Bouchard then seized a 3-1 lead in the decider, but Bencic clawed her way back and sealed victory when the Canadian's backhand drifted wide.

"I think it's so special to play my last match here in Montreal, on this court, in front of you guys," a teary Bouchard said as she was honored on court after the match.

"I remember being a little kid sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play 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."

Bouchard, who rose as high as fifth in the world rankings, shot to prominence in 2014, when she reached the Wimbledon final and made semifinal runs at the Australian and French Opens.

But, her career was hampered by injuries, including a concussion suffered in a locker room slip at the 2015 US Open and a shoulder injury that required surgery in 2021.

She also plays on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour, which she joined ahead of the 2024 season.

Swiatek sails through

There was no drama for Poland's Iga Swiatek, who breezed past Chinese qualifier Guo Hanyu 6-3, 6-1 in her first match since her crushing victory over Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final.

Swiatek, seeded second, broke Guo's serve six times to book her spot in the third round.

It was much harder going for Japan's four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who saved two match points in a 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 triumph over Liudmila Samsonova.

Osaka, now working with Tomasz Wiktorowski, after announcing on Monday she had split with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, surrendered early breaks in each of the first two sets.

Wimbledon quarterfinalist Samsonova served for the match at 5-4 in the second and led 40-15. The Russian fired a forehand long on her first match point, and, on her second, a lackluster drop shot effort gave Osaka an opening and the Japanese star pounced.

Samsonova's double fault on break point allowed Osaka to level the set, and, after storming back from 5-2 down in the tiebreaker to force a third set, Osaka took control early, breaking Samsonova twice on the way to a 4-1 lead.

"She definitely came out really hard and, for me, I was definitely overwhelmed and I didn't know if I should also be hitting winners," Osaka said. "After a while, I just tried to keep the ball in court."

Jessica Pegula, the two-time defending champion and third seed, saved five set points in the opening set on the way to a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, opened her campaign with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Laura Siegemund, avenging her third-round loss to the German at Wimbledon.

In the men's tournament, which is being played in Toronto, Ben Shelton beat Adrian Mannarino of France 6-2, 6-3, and the fourth seed will next face fellow American Brandon Nakashima in the third round.

American Frances Tiafoe battled back to defeat Japan's Yosuke Watanuki 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) and will next face Australia's Aleksandar Vukic.

Former world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas continues to struggle on tour, the Greek falling to Australian Christopher O'Connell 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Tsitsipas, who has fallen to 30th in the world, said last week he had split with coach Goran Ivanisevic.

Agencies