Bouchard boosted by playing doubles
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 Anna-Lena 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.
“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 agreed. “I think for her it’s definitely a good choice that she’s started to play doubles a little bit,” Pliskova said. “Because if you win a few matches then you can still get the confidence back from doubles.”
Pliskova 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 face sixth-seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who ousted 10th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
Second-seeded Simona Halep of Romania needed only 59 minutes to breeze by Barbora Strycova, while American Sloane Stephens upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2.
Later Thursday, Venus Williams fell to fifth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, while fourth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain outlasted Australian qualifier Ashleigh Barty in three sets.
In doubles play, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko beat Germany’s Julia Goerges and Ukraine’s Olga Savchuk. Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., and Montreal-based Carson Branstine were eliminated.