Eugenie Bouchard boyfriend detail emerges in stunning display at Madrid Open

Eugenie Bouchard has continued her remarkable run at the Madrid Open, scoring just her second win at a WTA 1000 event in over four years. The former Wimbledon finalist cruised through qualifying to make the main draw in the Spanish capital, and continued her fine form by beating Dayana Yastremska on Wednesday in the first round.

Bouchard won 75 per cent of her first serves and was successful on eight of 21 break point opportunities, prevailing 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-2. After a torrid few years in which she has tumbled down the WTA rankings, it marks her first main draw win at the Madrid Open since 2017, and her second at WTA 1000 level since February 2019.

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The 29-year-old former World No.5, who beat Elizabeth Mandlik in qualifying on Tuesday to make the draw proper, is playing in her first main draw at a WTA 1000 event without the benefit of a wild card in more than four years. She will next face the 18th-seeded Martina Trevisan of Italy on Friday for a berth in the third round.

Bouchard was actually trailing 0-2 in the third set before reeling off six-straight games to take the match. The Canadian has managed to get her ranking back up to World No.285 as she continues her quest to recapture some of the form she displayed when she first burst onto the scene nearly 10 years ago.

In 2014 she made the final at Wimbledon before losing to Petra Kvitova, after reaching the semi-finals at the Australian and French Opens. She reached World No.5 that year, but has suffered a staggering fall from grace ever since.

Thankfully she seems to be finding her happy place on the court once again, and appears to have found some happiness off it as well. Sitting in the front row on Wednesday was new boyfriend Jack Brinkley-Cook, who is the son of model Christie Brinkley.

Bouchard and Brinkley-Cook first went public with their relationship in October last year, and things appear to be going strong. Bouchard has been vocal about her love-life in the past (or lack thereof).

"Not complaining, but I feel like quarantine would be a lot more fun with a boyfriend," she said in 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic. Tennis journalist Jose Morgado noticed Brinkley-Cook's presence on Wednesday and described him as "surely the best cheerleader in town".

Raducanu and Fernandez out of Madrid Open

Meanwhile, the 2021 US Open finalists both exited the Madrid Open on Wednesday as Emma Raducanu withdrew with a wrist problem and Leylah Fernandez was upset by 15-year-old Mirra Andreeva. Raducanu is set to drop out of the top 100 after withdrawing before her first-round meeting with Viktoriya Tomova.

Raducanu and Fernandez have both struggled with form and injuries since the US Open final in 2021, and the latter went down to World No.194 Mirra Andreeva 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday. It marked the 15-year-old's first tour-level win and came three days shy of her 16th birthday.

"It was a really tough match for me and I just tried to give my best and to play every point," Andreeva said. "I'm extremely happy with my level today."

The big shock came as World No.525 Jaqueline Cristian defeated 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. Having taken the first set, Stephens looked set to book her place in the second round before Cristian surged back to win 5-7 6-4 6-4.

Alize Cornet overcame World N0.39 39 Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-3, while Camila Giorgi was forced to retire from her match with Mayar Sherif before the start of a deciding third set. Amanda Anisimova was another top-50 casualty, while Rebeka Masarova, Nuria Parrizas Diaz, Marina Bassols Ribera and Irene Burillo Escorihuela carried the flag for Spain into the next round.

with agencies

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