Another tournament, another coaching change for world No.46 Eugenie Bouchard after she enlisted the help ex-coach Nick Saviano.
Bouchard is very familiar with the working practices of Saviano after growing up under his watchful eye. The two started collaborating when Bouchard was 12-years-old until the end of their agreement in late 2014. Since then, the Canadian has worked with Sam Sumyk, the former coach of Victoria Azarenka, before hiring her current coach Thomas Hogstedt.
Bouchard’s return to Saviano has raised questions about the state of her current partnership with Hogstedt. The Canadian currently has a win-loss of 15-6 this season. During her recent American swing, Bouchard lost in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open followed by a disappointing first round loss in Miami to Lucie Hradecka. Speaking about working with Saviano at this week’s Charleston Open, her first clay court tournament of the year, Bouchard didn’t admit or deny any rift with her current coach.
“I’ve known Nick since I was 12 years old, and with Thomas not here this week, I asked him to help me,” she told Eh Game. “I’m just taking it week by week – actually, day by day.”
Recently there has been a series of fiery exchanges between Bouchard and Hogstedt during matches, usually consisting of Bouchard snapping at her coach.
#Bouchard 4-6 down. Coach: ‘First of all, Genie, you’re going to win this match.’ ‘That’s what you want to think.’ pic.twitter.com/Xkt8q86pVU
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) 23 March 2016
Bouchard will be the sixteenth seed at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston. In the first round she will play Romania’s Alexandra Dulgheru, a player who she lost to in last year’s Fed Cup.
