Montreal-Genie Bouchard expanded her tennis career for at least one match on Monday and defeated Emiliana Arango 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in the first round of the National Bank Open.
Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon -Final and two other Grand Slam -and and a half finals in 2014, announced this month that she would retire after a final performance in her hometown tournament.
She then opened it with her first WTA Tour victory since 2023 – and the 300th of her career – and went on to no. 17 Seed Belinda Bencic.
Bouchard reached number 5 in the ranking in 2014, but the 31-year-old has largely switched to Pickleball and played only one game this season before he got a wildcard in the Montreal tournament.
After splitting the first two sets, Bouchard broke the 82nd-Gerango Arango twice-first with a forehand, then from the missed volley of the Colombians-to build a 5-1 lead in the decisive third party.
Arango broke back with Bouchard for the game to bring the score to 5-2, but the Canadian went 40 love in the subsequent game. Arango sent her backhand wide on Bouchard’s second match point.
Bouchard waved and blew kisses to the crowd after the victory.
“I told my family that if I won, I would retire,” she said of the Center Court. “I felt like the old genius there is.”
Emma Raducanu, who played only two days after losing the semi-final in Washington, beat Elena-Gabriela Russe 6-2, 6-4. Naomi Osaka, in her first tournament since she announced that she would no longer work with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, eliminated Ariana Arsenault 6-4, 6-2.
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