Canadian women’s tennis player Eugenie Bouchard earned her first win of the grass court season when she beat American Alison Riske in straight sets in the Aegon International in Eastbourne, England, on Tuesday on the road to Wimbledon.
This was a big boost to Eugenie Bouchard’s waning confidence on the surface since losing 9 of her last 10 matches and watching her international ranking drop out of the top ten.
“It is good to finally get one (a win on grass),” Bouchard said. “I was a little bit more aggressive and I was trying to enjoy the moment.”
Eugenie Bouchard wins her first grass-court game of season http://t.co/gEI4eW0ovE pic.twitter.com/DglBLl61nl
— CTV News (@CTVNews) June 23, 2015
Eugenie Bouchard has her eye set on making her mark again at Wimbledon, and has a connection to English royalty, as she and her siblings are all named after members of the House of Windsor .
“Bouchard grew up in an English-speaking neighbourhood of Montreal. She and her siblings — Beatrice, Charlotte and William — were named for British royalty. Their mother, Julie, Bouchard joked, is a ‘closet royalist,’” reported the New York Times . “Eugenie and Beatrice are twins, named for the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. That tidbit was received well by the British news media.”
Bouchard is also a favorite of other members of the rich and famous set. Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon on the CBS hit The Big Bang Theory , was a guest in Bouchard’s family box at Wimbledon last year, after striking up a friendship via email after being introduced by their mutual agent. Bouchard took the opportunity to take many selfies of the pair after her match.
Earlier this year, at the Australian Open, Bouchard was involved in what is best called a twirling controversy . An Australian TV reporter asked Eugenie Bouchard to do a twirl at the Australian Open, which set off a great deal of criticism. She gladly twirled to show off her dress, but many thought it was sexist for the reporter to ask, as it objectified Bouchard.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) January 22, 2015
According to USA Today , the 20-year-old Bouchard addressed the incident to reporters, saying she wasn’t upset about being asked to twirl.
“I stay out of this stuff. I’m fine with being asked to twirl if they’re going to ask the guys to flex their muscles and stuff.”
Bouchard is hoping to be known this tournament season more for her play than her media prowess.
How do you think Eugenie Bouchard will do in this year’s Wimbledon?
[Photos courtesy of New York Post and Tennis.com ]