Back in the glory days of Genie’s Army, and being known more for her tennis skills than social media selfies or hanging with celebrities, a seemingly invincible Eugenie Bouchard was asked what superpower she’d wish for if she could have it.
Her answer was to be invisible.
Well, if you’re a fan of the Westmount, Que., native, you’re unhappy that wish sort of materialized during the first round of women’s singles at the Odlam Brown VanOpen on Tuesday where Bouchard was eliminated in 70 tidy minutes by Arianne Hartono of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-2.
Granted, it was the 28-year-old’s first taste of singles competition in 17 months due to surgery and rehab of her right shoulder. She looked rusty and uncertain at times, which is to be expected. But Hartono, who felt she “stumbled a bit” at the start, found her footing quickly and looked unstoppable on this day.
A former world No. 5, Bouchard was playing singles for the first time since losing in the first round of a tournament in Mexico in March 2021.
Bouchard became the first Canadian to advance to the singles final at a Grand Slam in 2014 when she lost in the final at Wimbledon to Petra Kvitova of Czechia, the country commonly known as the Czech Republic.
Since then, Bouchard has battled numerous injuries, including a concussion after a fall in a trainer’s room at the U.S. Open in September of 2015.
Bouchard is still alive in the women’s doubles draw, where she and 17-year-old partner Kayla Cross of London, Ont., will play American Asia Muhammad and Miyu Kato of Japan in the quarterfinals after outlasting the Italian combo of Lucia Bronzetti and Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Sunday, 6-1, 6-7(3), 10-4.
In other women’s singles action of note, Priscilla Hon of Australia defeated Marina Stakusic of Montreal 6-3, 6-3.
Later Monday, Rebecca Marino of Vancouver, ranked sixth in the tournament at Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver, will play Emma Navarro of New York, while on the men’s side, Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver will play against Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves of Brazil.
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