Former world number one and current ESPN tennis analyst Chris Evert is convinced that Eugenie Bouchard will be back on top. Evert says Bouchard could be the “dark horse” at the Australian Open as she considers her a dangerous player.
Evert: Bouchard Should Rebound
“There’s nowhere for her to go but up at this point. She had such a poor 2015,” Evert said during a conference call to promote ESPN’s coverage of the upcoming Grand Slam. It is not a secret that the former player was a fan of the Canadian during her incredible run in 2014.
After a disappointing season last year, the former world number five is off to a great start this year, getting into at least the quarterfinals of two events. She will be playing in the semifinals of an Australian Open tune-up event in New Zealand, where she will face a familiar foe in Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova was the last player she met, before the accident in a locker room at Flushing Meadows that left her with concussion-like symptoms. Bouchard won their match in three sets and appeared to have found her game again.
The 21-year-old Canadian dropped in the rankings after a poor 2015 due to disappointing results earlier in the season. She was further derailed by the concussion that she got after the incident at the U.S. Open. Bouchard didn't’t play in Asia as she took a lengthy break to heal from the incident.
Evert Sees Good Progress For Bouchard in 2016
Fast forward to now, the world number 47 has looked healthy and fit in her recent matches, even though the Canadian doesn't’t think so. Bouchard has won four of her five matches. That is not a big sample size, but it is a good indicator how far she has come from the injury.
“It's interesting,” said Evert,“There's a little progress that is starting to show. With each match, that confidence is going to build and build and build. Hopefully for her, she can get back to where she was.”
Bouchard said in an interview that she is not thinking about her ranking. However, an early exit at next week’s slam will see her possibly out of the top 100. That could have some impact to her sponsorship deals, since it’s difficult to market a player outside the top 100. The Canadian needs to defend her quarterfinal points from last year in Melbourne. A title win at the ASB Classic will help motivate her for the Australian Open, where she will be unseeded for the first time since 2013.
For Evert, it will be a steep climb for the Canadian back to the top, but she has no doubt that Bouchard can do it.“It's going to be, as Victoria Azarenka will tell you, even if you're playing well, it's going to be a slow ascent because there's so many good players out there. The depth is great. She might not get great draws every week."
Evert continued by saying, "So it's going to be tough. It's going to be tough for her, an uphill climb. I'm happy, and I think the tennis world is rooting for her to accumulate, put together some matches, get that confidence back."
Friday’s semifinal against Cibulkova in New Zealand will be a great test for Bouchard and how ready is she for the Australian Open next week.