Bouchard: 'I want to be the best version of myself'
DUBAI, UAE - Former World No.5 Eugenie Bouchard believes she is back on the right track, the Canadian has told The National's Reem Abulleil ahead of next week's Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
That doesn't necessarily mean trying to live up to her career-best results of 2014, in which the 24-year-old reached the Wimbledon final and Australian Open and Roland Garros semifinals.
"I really don't want to look back and try to be myself from five years ago," she explained. "I want to be the best version of myself today and just always give myself a chance. Week after week if you keep pushing and keep giving yourself the chance, then one week you are going to break through. I have that belief and I just have to keep working towards it."
To that end, Bouchard is aiming to be "very physical" on court, alongside new coach Michael Joyce. To the World No.80, who is competing in Dubai via a wildcard and will open against Belarus's Vera Lapko tomorrow, this partnership is in some ways a continuation of her work with Robert Lansdorp: "[He] actually coached Mike back in the day, so they both kind of have the same voice, which I really like," said Bouchard. "I really like what he thinks about my game, how he sees my game in the future... it's just been very enjoyable so far."
Bouchard and Joyce's vision is based around aggression and physicality: "When I'm moving well, that's when my game works its best because I'm able to take the ball early but also defend when I need to," she said. "And then improving weapons like serve, being super aggressive on return. Generally being aggressive and being myself out there as well."
On court, Bouchard is looking to build on the "solid steps" she feels she has taken in recent months: the 2014 Nurnberg champion ended last year with a semifinal run in Luxembourg and began 2019 with a quarterfinal showing in Auckland, both times losing in three sets to eventual champion Julia Goerges. Off court, though, she has learned to love the perks of her career.
"I truly appreciate now what I do as a job, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to travel to amazing cities like Dubai," said Bouchard. "I make more effort now to see the cities I'm in and just appreciate the blessings I have in life."
