Bouchard: "I didn't know what to expect, but I have enjoyed every second"

Fernando Murciego | 29 Jul 2025 | 07.22

Eugenie Bouchard avoids retirement at the WTA Montreal 2025. Source: Getty

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National celebration at WTA Montreal 2025 with the victory of Eugenie Bouchard against Emiliana Arango (6-4, 2-6, 6-2) in a match that delivered two hours of great tennis to an audience enthralled by the Canadian. It could have been the last evening of her career, but the former world No. 5 regained her speech in time to progress in the draw and now face Belinda Bencic in the second round, a considerable challenge. Nevertheless, the adrenaline and happiness felt on the court tonight, elements she had hardly recalled, will never be taken away. She expressed her joy at the press conference after the match.

Return to competition

“The atmosphere out there was electric, I had so much fun, I am very proud of how I competed, of how I stayed focused throughout the match, never stopping fighting. It has been a great physical battle, a great mental battle, and I feel amazing after playing again in Montreal in front of everyone.”

Better than expected

“Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, I woke up this morning telling myself: ‘Look, I can't control the result, I just want to have a good attitude, a good fight, try to feel my shots and be comfortable with my tennis.’ Regardless of the outcome, I wanted to leave the court after having enjoyed this match, which turned out to be a great battle. I enjoyed every second, so it's not what I expected. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I am leaving very happy.”

Memories of the past

“My mind went back to the Montreal of years past when I played here before and only had good feelings on that court, in front of the crowd. It really brought me back to those pleasant memories over the years. It had been a long time since I played in front of a crowd like that, played a great match, so I tried to be very disciplined. I managed to recover almost all my habits, which I don't use in Pickleball, I thought they would be more rusty, but they were there. They are still inside me (laughter).”

Not thinking this could be the end

“I always knew that if I lost, it would be the last time. But then, once I got to the court, I really tried to treat it like a normal match, seeking focus and reminding myself of what I wanted to do on each point. I was blocking out all those sorts of consequences to allow myself to play tennis, to enjoy the toughness of a WTA match, which is the hardest part out there. You have to enjoy that pain; here the crowd was key to motivate me and give me energy, although there comes a point where you can lose focus if you get too excited. There were moments when I had to block out all that noise, pretend it was a normal point, and move on.”

Against Bencic in the second round

“I've thought about it a bit after the match, she is a great player. It's funny because we played here in Toronto ten years ago, and then she ended up winning the tournament. I know it will be a very tough match; I will probably train some specific things tomorrow thinking about her. I know she likes to take the ball early and change directions. I've had some battles with her already, so I'm looking forward to it.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Bouchard: “No sabía qué esperar, pero he disfrutado de cada segundo”