"It takes so much dedication and sacrifice," Bouchard's explanation about her retirement
After a career spanning nearly 15 years, Eugenie Bouchard will hang up her racket at home during the Montreal tournament (July 27 to August 7). At just 31 years old, she leaves behind a Wimbledon final in 2014 and a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world. Speaking to the *Daily Express*, the Canadian detailed the reasons behind her decision:
"Obviously, I started playing pickleball about a year and a half ago, which led me to play much less tennis. I think all good things must come to an end. I love tennis. I’ll always love it, and I’ll stay involved in the sport. But it takes so much dedication, so many sacrifices. You have to devote your entire life to it to have a chance at success. For me, at a certain point, it just wasn’t worth it anymore. So I’ve kind of reached that stage."
She went on to highlight how the outpouring of love from fans after her announcement changed her perspective:
"Right before I announced it, I was pretty stressed about the whole situation, thinking, 'Oh, I just want to get through August quickly and put all this behind me.' But then I received so much support, so many people reached out, and I saw so much positivity that I thought, 'Okay, wait, let me enjoy this.' This is a unique moment in my life, something I’ve never done before and will never do again—unless I retire from my office job in 40 years."
For context, the Canadian had previously decided to pause her tennis career to join the professional pickleball circuit in 2024.
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