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Eugenie Bouchard: rocky start to 2018 WTA Tour at Hobart International

By Harry Floyd

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 07: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada plays tennis with Australian cricketer George Bailey during Day One of 2018 Hobart International match at Domain Tennis Centre on January 7, 2018 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
HOBART, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 07: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada plays tennis with Australian cricketer George Bailey during Day One of 2018 Hobart International match at Domain Tennis Centre on January 7, 2018 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) /
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Eugenie Bouchard is off to a rocky start so far in 2018. After a tough week at this year’s Hopman Cup, the Canadian drops her opening match in Hobart.

Eugenie Bouchard is out of the 2018 Hobart International after her first match.

The young Canadian tennis star falls to 19-year-old Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in straight sets. Sabalenka takes the match with ease, winning 6-4, 6-3. The Belarusian moves on and faces the top seeded Zhang Shuai tomorrow.

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This is not the start that Bouchard was hoping for on the 2018 WTA Tour. After making changes to her team and workout regimen during the offseason, she has entered the year reinvigorated. On the bright side, this is just one match and it is still very early in the season. Plus, Hopman Cup play is competitive but not quite on the level of some upcoming WTA events.

Genie Bouchard must look ahead to play at Melbourne Park next week.

There isn’t time to dwell on the loss at the Hobart International. Action at the 2018 Australian Open is right around the corner.

Bouchard, who is a former semifinalist at the upcoming Grand Slam, must find her rhythm in her opening match at the Australian Open. Play at the Hobart International is commonly used as a warmup for the first Grand Slam of the calendar year. The young Canadian is going to have to rally after not gaining some much needed playing time at the WTA International event.

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The favorites at this year’s Australian Open include Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza, WTA Finals champion Caroline Wozniacki, and former champion Angelique Kerber. The field at Melbourne Park is highly competitive. With defending champion Serena Williams out of the mix, several top players are seeking their first Grand Slams. Others look to solidify their place atop the sport with yet another title.

Look for Eugenie Bouchard to take the loss as motivation heading into the Australian Open. She has fared well at the Grand Slam throughout her brief playing career. One match is just one match. Genie does also have a significant amount of experience for such a young player. Bouchard is just 23-years-old. Stay tuned to see how she fares next week. Check back for updates on all of the remaining action at the 2018 Hobart International. Defending champion Elise Mertens is the second seed this week. She and top seed Zhang both remain alive at the tournament.

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