Doubles defeat spells end for Bouchard at Rogers Cup

TORONTO — The old-school Eugenie Bouchard returned to the court Thursday at the Rogers Cup.

Her smile was back and there was spring in her step. She looked like the player who enjoyed a breakout season in 2014. The only thing missing was a victory. Bouchard, who has been unable to shake a long singles slump, teamed with Karolina Pliskova for a rollicking doubles match at the Aviva Centre’s grandstand court. They pushed Germany’s AnnaLena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic to the brink before dropping a 7-5, 1-6, 11-9 decision.

The result didn’t seem to bother the Canadian or her partner in the slightest.

Bouchard was clearly having fun playing a loose, carefree style while Pliskova — the world No. 1 in singles — joined her for the ride.

“I think that’s something maybe I can try to use in my singles, just put less pressure on myself,” Bouchard said. “It’s more fun to play that way as well.”

Pliskova had defeated Japanese qualifier Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-7 (4), 1-0 a few hours earlier to lock up a spot in the singles quarter-finals. Osaka was forced to retire due to an abdominal injury.

The Czech star will next play sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who beat 10thseeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3, 6-1.

Second-seeded Simona Halep of Romania needed only 59 minutes to breeze by Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-0, while American Sloane Stephens upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2.

With little time to form an on-court rapport, Bouchard and Pliskova relied on their instincts against their eighth-seeded opponents.

The 6-foot-1 Pliskova has an imposing serve and the ground strokes to match. Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., picked her spots effectively with strong net play and several winners from the backcourt.

Bouchard and Pliskova appeared set to advance to the quarter-finals, but Groenefeld and Peschke fought off three match points in the tiebreak before nailing down the win.

Bouchard reached the No. 5 spot in the world singles rankings in 2014 but she is currently at No. 70. The latest first-round loss came to Donna Vekic of Croatia earlier this week.