Eugenie Bouchard retired from professional tennis this summer at the National Bank Open in Montreal, the very place where her journey began. After announcing her impending retirement a few weeks earlier, the former World No. 5 embraced the moment with gratitude and emotion, choosing to end her playing days in front of her hometown fans.
Eugenie Bouchard Shares Her Brother’s Cheers on Instagram
After her last match in Montreal, Bouchard posted a touching reel on Instagram titled “how my little brother cheers for me.” The short video is a collection of moments showing her younger brother’s excitement and support during her matches. In each clip, he is seen jumping, clapping, and even shouting with every point she wins.
She captioned it, “get yourself a brother like this 😭😭😭😭,” capturing the joy and pride he showed throughout her match. The reel highlights the unwavering support she has received from her family as she stepped onto the court for what she declared would be her last professional appearance.
Just weeks before, on Jul. 16, 2025, Bouchard announced her retirement from professional tennis via an Instagram post: “You’ll know when it’s time. For me, it’s now. Ending where it all started: Montreal.” Her retirement announcement before the tournament allowed her fans and family to give her a memorable send-off.
Bouchard’s Career Highlights and Recent Montreal Run
Bouchard’s career peaked in 2014 when she made history by becoming the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon. That year, she also reached the semifinals at both the Australian Open and French Open, and achieved her best singles ranking of World No. 5.
After her breakthrough, Bouchard faced injuries and other challenges, but she kept competing. She even had a brief run at professional pickleball. The Canadian returned to pro tennis this summer at her hometown event. Facing Emiliana Arango in the first round, she marked her 300th tour win with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory, which was also her first WTA Tour victory since 2023. She fell to Belinda Bencic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round, closing out her match under a standing-ovation crowd.
Bouchard also brought attention to how the digital world is changing personal connections. On Jul. 24, she tweeted about getting an email from an old friend congratulating her on retirement. But she quickly noticed it had been written using AI:
“Got a nice email from an old friend on my retirement, until I realized it was very obviously written by chatgpt. It made it feel less special.”
Got a nice email from an old friend on my retirement, until I realized it was very obviously written by chatgpt. It made it feel less special. Am I wrong for feeling this?
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) July 24, 2025
Her words showed her longing for honest, human messages, even in an era full of technology, showcasing authenticity and what makes a message meaningful.