Eugenie Bouchard, the Canadian tennis player known for her early success on the court, has announced her retirement from professional tennis. Bouchard, who turned professional in 2009 after beginning tennis at the age of five, has received recognition from fellow players including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys. The 2024 French Open winner Coco Gauff highlighted Bouchard’s transition to pickleball and expressed confidence in her future beyond tennis.
Fellow Players Reflect on Bouchard’s Career and Legacy
Bouchard’s career featured notable milestones, including capturing the 2012 Wimbledon girls’ title and, at 20 years old, becoming the first Canadian-born player to reach a singles Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. This achievement helped raise the profile of Canadian tennis on the international stage. Jessica Pegula praised Bouchard’s influence on tennis in Canada, emphasizing how her early accomplishments brought attention to the sport nationally.
“I feel like she really put Canadian tennis on the map a little bit with how well she did when she was younger, doing well in juniors, and then obviously doing well making the finals at Wimbledon. I feel like tennis has gotten really big here, and I think she’s one of the reasons why.” —Jessica Pegula, Tennis Player
Madison Keys, who has known Bouchard since their junior days, shared the significance of growing up alongside her and witnessing her career unfold.
“I’ve known Genie for a long time and have played against her since we were kids. It’s always really incredible to grow up with someone and then see them have such an amazing career.” —Madison Keys, Tennis Player
Coco Gauff also acknowledged Bouchard’s career highlights and her shift towards other sports such as pickleball, offering encouragement for her next chapter.
“She had a great career early on and had a great, great couple of results in some slams. Yeah, it’s definitely not easy, but I know she’s also playing on pickleball, too. You know, she spread it across all ways. I think she’ll be fine.” —Coco Gauff, Tennis Player
Bouchard Explains Her Decision to Step Away From Tennis
As she prepares to compete at the upcoming Canadian Open against Emiliana Arango, Bouchard shared her reasons for retiring from professional tennis. She described the immense dedication and sacrifices required in the sport, noting that after a lifetime devoted to tennis, continuing no longer felt worthwhile.
“It just takes so much dedication, sacrifice, and dedicating your entire life to have a chance to make it,” Bouchard said. “That’s something I have done my whole life thus far. For me, at a certain point, that’s just not worth it anymore.” —Eugenie Bouchard, Tennis Player
Reflecting on her career’s highs and lows, Bouchard cited the various experiences she encountered as part of both tennis and life itself.
“I feel like I kind of did the whole spectrum of positive, negative, good results, bad results, and I guess that’s what life is too, right? So tennis was a little kind of sample of what real life is.” —Eugenie Bouchard, Tennis Player
Looking Ahead: Bouchard’s Final Tournament at Home
Fans will have the chance to see Bouchard play competitively one last time at the 2025 Canadian Open, also known as the National Bank Open, held at the IGA Stadium in Montreal. Her retirement marks the end of a significant chapter not only for her but for Canadian tennis, where she played a key role in popularizing the sport and inspiring future players.
With support from prominent athletes like Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, Bouchard’s legacy appears secure as she embarks on new pursuits beyond the tennis court.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Coco Gauff a millionaire?
A. At only 19, Coco Gauff is a millionaire. She recently won her first major tennis tournament. Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka, the new world No. 1, with scores of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, to claim the 2023 US Open women’s singles title.
Q. Does Coco Gauff have a degree?
A. Way to go, @CocoGauff, on graduating high school! Gauff earned her diploma from the Florida Department of Education. She completed her studies through Florida Virtual Flex. At 18, she balanced academics with a thriving tennis career over four years.
Q. Why is Coco Gauff so rich?
A. Gauff has won about $24.3 million in prize money during her tennis career, ranking her 18th among female players in history.
With her endorsement deals, Celebrity Net Worth says she has around $35 million in total wealth.
Forbes named Gauff the top-earning female athlete in 2024.