SUBSCRIBE & WIN! Sign up for the Daily CHAT News Today Newsletter for a chance to win a $75 South Country Co-op gift card!

Canadian Eugenie Bouchard earns wild card into French Open after Istanbul final

Sep 14, 2020 | 12:25 PM

PARIS — Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard has received a wild card into the main draw of the French Open after reaching the final of the Istanbul Tennis Championship on Sunday.

Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., was awarded one of eight wild cards into the women’s main draw, which starts Sept. 27. Six went to French players, with the other going to U.S. Open quarterfinalist Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria.

Bouchard moved up 105 spots in the rankings to No. 167 after her runner-up showing at the Istanbul clay-court event as a qualifier.

The 26-year-old won six straight matches before falling to Patricia Maria Tig of Romania 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) on Sunday.

A former world No. 5 after reaching the final of Wimbledon in 2014, Bouchard has tumbled down the rankings in recent years.

Bouchard’s best showing at the French Open was a semifinal appearance in 2014.

On the men’s side, seven of eight main-draw wild cards went to French players, with the other going to Andy Murray of Great Britain.

This story by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2020.

The Canadian Press