"Woke up & can't stop crying" - Eugenie Bouchard gets emotional on 1st day of retirement as Emma Raducanu & others send farewell wishes

Eugenie Bouchard shared her heartfelt thoughts on her first day of retirement from tennis, while receiving emotional farewell wishes from fellow tennis stars Emma Raducanu, Billie Jean King and others on Thursday, July 31. The Canadian icon bid adieu to the sport after a second-round loss to Swiss player Belinda Bencic at the 2025 National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.

The 31-year-old is best remembered as the first Canadian-born player to reach a Grand Slam singles final, a feat she achieved at the 2014 Wimbledon. The Montreal, Quebec, native won the junior Wimbledon singles title in 2012 and at the senior level, reached the semifinals of the 2014 Australian Open and French Open. Before entering the ongoing Canadian Open event in Montreal, Bouchard announced that it would be the final professional tournament of her career.

She had a wildcard entry into the tournament and recorded her first-round win over Colombian player Emiliana Arango, marking her career's 300th WTA Tour win. Through her Instagram stories, she shared her thoughts on her first day after retirement, reflecting on the heartfelt wishes she received for her prominent career from notable personalities. She wrote:

"woke up and can't stop crying over here - seeing all your messages - thank you !!!!!! 🥹🥹🥹"

Screenshots of Eugenie Bouchard's Instagram stories | Source: IG/geniebouchard

The 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu expressed her wishes, adding:

"@geniebouchard thank you, genie, loved watching you compete and play. Wish you all the best for your next chapter🧞‍♀️"

The Hall of Famer and winner of 39 Grand Slam titles, Billie Jean King, shared:

"Congratulations on your retirement, @geniebouchard. Looking forward to following the next steps in your journey."

Screenshots of Eugenie Bouchard's Instagram stories | Source: IG/geniebouchard

Asia Muhammad, winner of 13 WTA Tour doubles titles, added,

"@geniebouchard 🤍"

The three-time Grand Slam Champion, World No. 8 in WTA doubles, and Bouchard's 2023 Billie Jean King Cup doubles partner, Gabriela Dabrowski, shared:

"Congrats @geniebouchard on an amazing tennis career🫶 Thank you for the memories and always laughing at my jokes ☺️"

The well-known sportscaster on Tennis Channel, Steve Weissman, also shared his wishes and wrote:

"Congrats on a brilliant career @geniebouchard 🇨🇦🙌🏻"

Along with tennis, Bouchard has also actively played professional pickleball.

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Eugenie Bouchard reflects on her iconic career, which she concluded in Montreal

Eugenie Bouchard at WTA 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers - Day 4 - Source: Getty

After her second-round exit at the Canadian Open, the former World No. 5 expressed heartfelt wishes on her retirement from the sport after sixteen years. Bouchard added (as per The Athletic):

"Tennis has given me so much. I’m filled with so much gratitude for this sport and the people along the way. I think it’s so special to play my last match here in Montreal on this court in front of you guys."

After the match, Eugenie Bouchard received a Tennis Canada plaque, a photomontage, and watched a montage that included tributes from her longtime ex-coach Nick Saviano and fellow players.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale