Eugenie Bouchard sympathizes with Emma Raducanu over unsavory media scrutiny
Eugenie Bouchard has expressed sympathy for Emma Raducanu with the latter facing persistent criticism from fans and the media.
Bouchard enjoyed a steady ascent in the early years of her career. The former world No. 5 burst onto the global scene in 2014, reaching the finals at Wimbledon and semifinals at the French Open and Australian Open. However, the Canadian endured an unexpected downfall in the years that followed, which saw her return to the ITF Circuit in 2017.
Raducanu is currently suffering a similar fate. The Brit has struggled with inconsistency since her remarkable US Open title win in 2021.
Speaking to the WTA, Bouchard opined that Raducanu is constantly facing a tough time from some fans, something that the Canadian herself has been subjected to for the past decade.
"I see lots of similarities. I feel for her [Raducanu] in the sense. She has a great life, she’s set for life and she’s had great achievements. But I can understand a little bit, possibly the pressure, the scrutiny," she said.
Bouchard sympathized with the Brit, stating that "haters will hate" whatever one does.
"She tweeted something, posted something about not doing tennis one day and people were like, `Why don’t you go practice.’ I was like, `Oh, my God, I went through that six, eight years ago.’ Haters will hate, you know what I mean?," Eugenie Bouchard stated.
She also opined that athletes have the freedom to take a break and engage on social media provided that they focus on their goal.
"I've known all along who I am and what I do," Bouchard said. "And look, lots of tennis players are posting -- people post more than me these days. I’m so happy that these days it’s so much more normal."
"As long as you don’t get too distracted with it, stay focused on your No.1 goal. Why not? Life is great. Just don’t put us in a box," she added.
Eugenie Bouchard: I'm not that patient; I didn’t want an injury to dictate my career
Eugenie Bouchard has struggled with injuries throughout her career. She suffered a right shoulder injury in 2021, which kept her off the circuit for around 17 months. However, the Canadian refused to be constrained by the setback.
"I’m really not that patient, so I had to really work on that. But I knew that I always wanted to come back because I didn’t want an injury to dictate my career," she told WTA.
Bouchard is currently taking part in the 2023 Madrid Open. She will face Dayana Yastremska in the first round on Wednesday (April 26).