Eugenie Bouchard retires after three-set battle at National Bank Open

Eugenie Bouchard made her retirement from professional tennis official Wednesday night after losing a three-set battle at the National Bank Open.

The 31-year-old from Westmount, Que., bowed out to 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in a second-round match after announcing the hometown tournament would be her last.

Bouchard had extended her Montreal run with a first-round upset Monday night against Emiliana Arango — her first WTA Tour victory since 2023 — and showed flashes of the aggressive game that once powered her rise to world No. 5 in 2014.

The local favourite turned back the clock again Wednesday by rallying from down a set, but Bencic held on to win the match in two hours 16 minutes.

Montrealers packed the centre court stands at IGA Stadium, chanted "Let's Go Genie!" and grew louder throughout the warm summer night, standing up for several ovations.

Eugenie Bouchard drops hard-fought retirement match at National Bank Open

After winning the second set, Bouchard went up a break early in the third, taking a back-and-forth third game when Bencic sent her shot into the net on the Canadian's fifth break-point opportunity.

Bencic, however, regrouped and broke back to tie at 3-3 in an error-filled game for Bouchard.

Trailing 5-4 and needing to hold serve, Bouchard fell in a 40-love hole and sent her shot wide while defending the second match point.

In a roller-coaster career, Bouchard peaked during a banner 2014 season, winning her only WTA title, reaching the Australian Open and French Open semis and becoming the first Canadian woman to play in a Grand Slam final in the open era at Wimbledon.

But Bouchard's rapid rise quickly came falling down after her 6-3, 6-0 loss to Petra Kvitova at the All England