Canadian tennis great Genie Bouchard originally planned to hang up her tennis racket at the end of July after the National Bank Open in her hometown of Montreal, but fans haven't seen her last match yet. Bouchard moved on to the second round after beating Emiliana Arango 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, reaching the 300-win mark and making it her first WTA Tour victory since September 2023.
Bouchard drew a massive crowd for what was potentially her last career match. The 31-year-old and Arango were neck-and-neck heading into the third and final set before Bouchard broke the World No. 82 twice and took a 5-1 lead.
The Colombian standout came back slightly to make it 5-2, but Bouchard swept the following game and never looked back. Among her family and loyal fans, Genie Bouchard admitted that the triumph had her reconsidering the career-ending decision.
“I told my family that if I won, I would come out of retirement,” Bouchard said post-match. “I felt like the old Genie out there.”
The fans here are something else 🥰 https://t.co/lpe3syhB34
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) July 29, 2025
The former World No. 5 clearly still has a few wins up her sleeve at the end of a 16-year career that started in 2009 when Bouchard was just 15 years old. Bouchard finally had her breakout moment four years later in 2013, earning WTA Newcomer of the Year. She had the best year of her career to date in 2014, making it to the semifinals of the Australian and French Opens while becoming the first Canadian to play in a singles major final at Wimbledon.
Despite dealing with struggles in her game and health since 2015, Bouchard helped her native Canada win the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023 and has extended her reach off the court as well. Bouchard is an avid spokesperson for athletes' mental health after being open about her own difficulties, and she was part of a panel at the National Bank Open in 2024 that discussed the progress the tour has made in providing tennis players with the necessary support.