It’s always hard to say goodbye. But it’s even harder when the goodbye comes from a player who once set the tennis world on fire. Eugenie Bouchard, Canada’s former golden girl, played her final professional match on Wednesday night at the Canadian Open. The same tournament where her dreams once soared also became the setting for her farewell. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to recall how her perseverance even earned praise from one of the best, Serena Williams.

Eugenie Bouchard faced world No. 20 Belinda Bencic under the lights, giving fans one final glimpse of her fighting spirit. Whatever magic she summoned in her first-round win had fizzled out. Bouchard battled hard but fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to Bencic. The crowd roared as she left the court, marking the end of a 16-year pro career.

In her post-match comments, the former World No.5 made a heartfelt speech. “Tennis has given me so much,” she said. “I’m filled with so much gratitude for this sport and the people along the way.”

That journey, though not always smooth, brought her face-to-face with legends. Among them was Serena Williams. Bouchard and Williams played three times. The 23-time Grand Slam champion won all three times. But what stood out wasn’t just the results. It was the mutual respect.

Ahead of their 2019 Australian Open clash, Williams praised Bouchard and said, “It will be a great match. She plays really well. She does everything well, and I really like that she doesn’t quit. You know, people write her off, and she doesn’t let that bother her. She continues to fight and do what she needs to do. I think that’s really not good.”

That kind of recognition is rare. And Bouchard earned it with sheer perseverance. Back in 2014, Bouchard looked like the next big thing. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and French Open, then charged all the way to the Wimbledon final. Her fearless game and steely confidence made headlines and won fans around the world.

That year felt like the start of something big. But tennis doesn’t follow scripts.  After 2014, things got tricky, but a run to the fourth round at the US Open in 2015 gave hope. However, she slipped in the locker room and had a concussion. She later called it the start of a “downward spiral.” Injuries piled up. Confidence slipped. And rankings dropped. Yet, Bouchard never backed down. She kept showing up, even when the odds weren’t in her favor.

But even her fighting spirit would shrink in front of one terrifying aspect of the American legend’s game.

Eugenie Bouchard dubs Serena Williams the “GOAT” in this one area

On the Tennis Channel live podcast with Steve Weissman and Andy Roddick, she named Serena Williams as the best server she ever faced.

“She has that power which everyone thinks of in the start, it’s an obvious one,” Eugenie Bouchard said. But she didn’t stop there. “It’s more than that. She disguises it really well. At times I’m there on the court, and the ball hits the back bench before I even realize that it has bounced and I was supposed to return it.”

Then came the full breakdown as she said, “So the power is there, but you don’t know where it is going. She has a great turn, and she has the same toss whether she is going wide or T. That makes her power much more effective. The GOAT server of all time.”

Now, both Serena and Genie are retired from the WTA. Serena Williams is busy building empires in the business world. And the Canadian isn’t quite done with rackets yet. Since her debut on the pickleball court in January 2024, Bouchard has been chasing a whole new kind of court. Two paths that once crossed under the bright lights of Grand Slam stadiums now head in new directions.