Doubts have been raised over Eugenie Bouchard’s ability to participate in next week’s French Open after she recently sustained an ankle injury.
Earlier this week the Canadian was forced to withdraw from the Nuremberg Open in Germany. Bouchard hurt her right ankle during a practice session and an MRT scan has confirmed that she has torn a ligament. Depending on the severity of the tear, recovery could take up to six weeks.
Sandra Reichel, the tournament director of the Nuremberg Open, spoke about Bouchard’s absence. She said the 23-year-old was hoping for a ‘miracle’ to happen in order to play in Roland Garros.
“She told me she needs a miracle,” Reichel said Tuesday. “She sent for her doctor from Canada.”
It isn’t the first time that injury has cast doubt over Bouchard ahead of the clay court grand slam. In 2016, she struggled with pain in her left wrist.
The setback for Bouchard comes just two week’s after she reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open for the first time. At the tournament she defeated Alize Cornet, Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber (via retirement) before falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova. During what has been a roller-coaster start to the season, Bouchard has won 10 out of 20 main draw matches played this year.
Since reaching the semifinals at the French Open in 2014, Bouchard has only managed to win one match at the tournament. Last year she went out in the second round to Timea Bacsinszky.
If she does withdraw from the upcoming major. It will be the first time that Bouchard has missed a grand slam main draw since the 2013 Australian Open.
Rehabbing & answering fan mail. I love you guys so much! Thank you for the endless support. #fanappreciationpost pic.twitter.com/RvoJkB5g9m
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) 23 May 2017
