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Eugenie Bouchard's less-than-ideal debut in professional pickleball has left tennis fans amused.
Bouchard made her professional debut at the Mission Hills Country Club in California, taking part in the Hyundai Masters. She took on Ekaterina Biakina in her first singles match.
Biakina dominated the clash, beating the Canadian 11-1, 11-7. The former World No. 5 went on to lose both her doubles games as well to suffer an early exit from the tournament.
Tennis fans poked fun at Eugenie Bouchard's debut on the PPA tour.
"Ijbol not there's something she's worse at than tennis," a fan commented.
"She's acc embarrassing tennis so hard rn omg," another fan chimed in.
One fan criticized the Canadian's performance and claimed that it was "embarrassing" to watch her compete.
"Wut? She could barely get a return over the net. It was embarrassing to watch. I cannot believe they just handed her a spot in the draw. There are 100 better players out there right now," the fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions on X from fans:
Eugenie Bouchard on her pickleball debut: "The positive thing is, I got some points and didn’t completely embarrass myself"
Following her singles defeat, Eugenie Bouchard attributed the loss to nerves stemming from embarking on a new sport.
"Tennis I’ve done since I was 5 years old. This was so different and new. It was the fear of the unknown. I had months of practice, but I didn’t know what to expect. It was nerve-wracking," Eugenie Bouchard told PPATour.com.
"I wasn’t moving my feet. I wasn’t bending. I wasn’t hitting. I think that’s due to nerves," she added.
Despite the defeat, the Canadian expressed her determination to compete in more events during the year and gain some valuable match practice.
"I’m going to play a bunch of events this year, and the competitive person in me wants to do the best I can. I need to get some practice in and some more matches in. I need to get out there in the heat of the moment," she said.
Bouchard maintained a positive outlook, finding satisfaction in winning some points and avoiding embarrassment. She expressed confidence in improving in her next tournament but acknowledged the need for a full year on the PPA tour to enhance her overall skills as a player.\
"The positive thing is, I got some points and didn’t completely embarrass myself. I’m proud that I was able to stay calm and get some points in that second game. I expect to be more competitive in the next tournament, but gimme a full year," she added.
