"We'll be seeing lots of tennis, lots of pickle" - Eugenie Bouchard plans to compete on both the tennis and pickleball circuit this season

Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has announced she intends to be a fixture on both the WTA tour and Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) this year, after joining the latter earlier this season.

The 30-year old burst into the spotlight in 2014, when she finished runner-up at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. After a brief stay in the top 10, Bouchard saw her ranking drop due to injuries and a loss of form. The former World No.5 left tennis fans shocked she announced she would be retiring from tennis after the 2023 US Open to join the PPA Tour.

After making the switch to pickleball, Bouchard struggled as she failed to win a match for four months this season until she was handed a walkover. Nonetheless, she remained active on the PPA and eventually made her return to tennis, competing at ITF events. She even played doubles alongside Sloane Stephens at the DC Open, and participated in the qualifying rounds for the Canadian Open.

When asked about her future plans, Bouchard revealed she hopes to remain a competitor on both the WTA and PPA.

"Tennis is something I wanted to keep up this year,” she told the Tennis Channel. “I definitely focused a little more on pickleball at the first part of the year because that was what was new and something I really wanted to get better at.
"It's something I just don't want to let go of, and I absolutely love playing tennis. It's my first true love. We'll be seeing lots of tennis, lots of pickle … I'm just making myself busier than ever trying to do all of it."