In this litigious world, why wouldn’t the tennis community have the same legal issues as the rest of us.
So when Eugenie Bouchard took the court today against Czech national Katenina Siniakova, she may have become the first person to play in a tournament that is actively being sued by the player.
“If I sit down and think about it, yeah it’s definitely a strange situation,” Bouchard said. “But it’s so far in the back of my mind. I don’t think about it on a daily basis at all. I have lawyers on that side of it. It’s really something I don’t think about.”
Last year, Bouchard suffered a concussion after she slipped on a wet floor at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and had to withdraw and then missed the rest of the regular season.
She came back in January and had a so-so year. Bouchard came into this Open unranked.
“Obviously being back here, I had mixed emotions,” Bouchard said. “It’s hard not to remember what happened last year. Obviously I am trying to focus on the positive. I also had great memories at the US Open. I had great memories last year and the year before that. So I tried to focus on that.”
Unfortunately, the focus wasn’t enough. In a match she said she didn’t “play well,” lost in three sets to Siniakova, 3-6 6-3 2-6.
The sweetheart of the Open two years ago was bounced very quickly.
“I think I had amazing results in 2014,” Bouchard said, “And it’s hard to have results line that every year. I am trying to work hard to become the best I can and the results I want and it doesn’t always go my way.”
Although she thought she has been treated well here at the tennis center, you have to wonder if the litigation had something to do with Bouchard’s failure this season and that walking the same halls, even though renovated, must have brought back memories.
It’s one of those things that you try to mentally block those things out,” she said. “I have a lot going on this week, so I tried to focus on that.”
Well at least she leaves the Open unscathed this year and can compete in the Asian season coming up next month. She tried to come back early last year and still had the symptoms from the concussion, which made things “difficult.”
So everything is all clear now, except her game, which still needs to get back on track. You hope she can shake the off the confidence issues and rust and return to the high level of play Bouchard displayed back in 2014 and last year.
And hopefully resolve her legal issues and move forward.
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