Eugenie Bouchard makes ridiculously bold claim about being a tennis ‘pioneer’

Eugenie Bouchard never quite reached the pinnacle she likely wanted to as a tennis player. She won just one title in her career but she did reach a decently high ranking of No. 5 in 2014. Her career record on the WTA tour was just 299-227, though. The 30-year-old can now be found commenting on tennis for the Tennis Channel and playing some professional pickleball.

She has made recent comments that physical attractiveness allowed her to open doors that might have otherwise been closed. She got endorsement deals some other players might not have. There is nothing wrong with that and this article is not a negative critique on Bouchard generally.

Something she said more recently is probably a step too far, though, as it, likely accidentally, disrespects other players who were successful before she was, both on and off the court. In a recent interview with The Times, Bouchard implied that she was a pioneer for tennis players being able to do anything else other than play tennis.

Bouchard said, “I would get so much hate for doing anything other than tennis. It was a burden I would bear on my shoulders and it was really hard. At least it’s more accepted now. Not that I was the only pioneer to do these things but I feel like I made it a little bit more normal.”

What kind of “burden” might have Bouchard carried? She was an attractive, white player who was moderately successful. Sponsors were going to find her. But to credit herself with being one of the pioneers is simply factually incorrect.

Think of the racism that the Williams sisters faced becoming successful in a sport that is still mostly white. Serena and Venus inspired hope in people of color – both boys and girls – who might not have even thought of picking up a racket. Serena was also highly successful away from the court with various commercial opportunities.

Maria Sharapova also found success away from tennis prior to Bouchard doing, well, whatever Bouchard actually does. Sharapova’s confection line as well as a sunscreen business, among other projects, has also been commercially lucrative.

For Bouchard to call herself a “pioneer” when players such as Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova came out as gay in a world that wasn’t quite as accepting as it is now (and to a great degree, there is still a lot of prejudice) is unfair to players who had to be so much braver. Bouchard might have been frustrated by being put into the “box” of tennis, but she did not have to overcome racial or sexual biases.

Maybe Bouchard simply misspoke. Hopefully, that is the case. Otherwise, she might owe lots of players an apology.

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