Eugenie Bouchard said she remains committed to competing for the big titles in WTA tennis as her recovery continues.
Bouchard returned to professional tennis in August 2022 after a year and a half out with a shoulder injury. The return has been difficult for the former Wimbledon finalist as she has struggled for form and was eliminated in the qualifying stages of the 2022 US Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
However, Bouchard was back in action again this year at the 2023 Bogota Open and she reached the round of 16. The Canadian player is now looking ahead to her next tournament, the ITF W100 in Oeiras, Portugal, and she emphasised her focus on getting back to top form.
"Of course (I see myself fighting for title again and winning). I feel like I wouldn’t put in all this time and effort if I didn’t still believe that. It’s a lot to come back from injuries, takes a lot of patience, a lot of time, a lot of energy and life is short. I am doing it because I think I still can. If I didn’t, I would be having babies or something else,”
In 2014, Bouchard rose up to fifth in the WTA rankings, her highest-ever place, and the combination of injuries and inconsistent form then hampered the 29-year-old's progress. But Bouchard believes the time out has made her more determined to get back to the top.
"It’s been very difficult, there’s no secret about it and I’d be lying if I said it (retirement) didn’t cross my mind, It has been a very long process and I thought if it was worth it, but then I decided yes because I would regret it if I let an injury stop me. I missed the competition while I was on the sidelines and that also motivated me.”
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