Monday Digest: Bouchard Makes Return on ITF Tour

For the primary time in 2024, Eugenie Bouchard was competing in an expert tennis occasion on the ITF tour final week. 

Whereas her match led to disappointing trend, the previous world No. 5 confirmed some good type within the early rounds. 

In the meantime, the ultimate 1000 occasion earlier than Roland-Garros didn’t present the identical positives outcomes as Madrid the week prior. 

Right here’s what you might want to know. 

Below the Radar: Bouchard Returns 

A well-known face returned to the tennis courts final week as Eugenie Bouchard competed in her first occasion of the season on the ITF W75 in Zephyrhills, Florida. 

It was Bouchard’s first aggressive tennis occasion since serving to Canada to the Billie Jean King Cup title final November. She appeared sturdy in her opening match, her first singles match since Guadalajara in September 2023, dropping simply three video games in a win over sixth seed Justine Mikulskyte. 

Bouchard then battled previous Fanni Stollar in three units earlier than going up towards prime seed Kayla Day within the quarter-finals. The pair break up two lengthy units earlier than the Canadian all of a sudden was pressured to retire earlier than the beginning of the third. 

She additionally reached the quarter-finals of the doubles with Stollar, the place they misplaced to prime seed Sophie Chang and Jamie Loeb 10-8 within the match tiebreak. 

Learn additionally: Félix and Leylah’s Mural at IGA Stadium in Montreal

Carol Zhao and Marina Stakusic additionally reached W75 quarter-finals in Fukuoka, Japan and Prague, Czechia respectively. 

The ITF Junior Tour handed by Ile des Soeurs final week and the host nation as soon as once more cleaned up, with Canadians accounting for each spot within the semifinals.  

After his brother gained a pair of titles in the previous couple of weeks, it was Mikael Arseneault’s flip to say the boys singles and teamed up with Finn Muller to win the doubles. Unseeded Anna Tabunshchyk beat three seeds on her method to the ladies singles title and in addition took the doubles with Brooke Feth. 

This week, the ITF Junior Tour is stopping in Halifax. 

In Case You Missed It: Quick Keep in Rome 

The Canadian contingent was unable to duplicate their success from the Madrid Open this previous week in Rome, with all three Canadians within the singles draw failing to succeed in the spherical of sixteen. 

Solely Félix Auger-Aliassime managed to win a singles match, taking down Botic van de Zandschulp in his opener earlier than falling in a good three-hour three-setter to ninth seed Alex de Minaur within the third spherical. 

Denis Shapovalov additionally misplaced a three-hour thriller in spherical one towards native Luciano Darderi. Leylah Annie Fernandez was bested in her first-round match by Ana Bogdan in straight units.  

Fernandez is the lone Canadian competing within the doubles in Rome, taking part in alongside Aranxta Rus. They beat Monica Niculescu and Alycia Parks in straight units of their opening match. 

What to Watch: Doubles in Focus 

Canada’s hopes in week two of the Italian Open lie with Leylah Annie Fernandez, who continues to be alive within the doubles attract Rome.  

She and Arantxa Rus play sixth seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko within the spherical of 16 on Monday. A win would arrange a conflict with the all-Italian pair of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. 

Eighth seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk are the projected semifinal opponents. 

You may comply with the Canadians in motion each week right here.