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Bouchard re-ignites fiery feud with Sharapova

Eugenie Bouchard has poured fuel on the fire of her ongoing feud with controversial tennis star Maria Sharapova.

Bouchard slammed Sharapova ahead of the Russian's return from a 15-month doping ban earlier this year after she tested positive for meldonium during the 2016 Australian Open.

The pair then faced each other in a fiery clash at the Madrid Open, with Bouchard winning after branding the five-time Grand Slam champion a ‘cheater’.

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Bouchard was recently asked about the feud and says she has no regrets over her comments.

"I was asked a question and I couldn't answer it not honestly so for me, that's how I try to be," Bouchard told Sportsnet.

Sharapova and Bouchard in Madrid. Image: Getty
Sharapova and Bouchard in Madrid. Image: Getty

Bouchard re-iterated the fact that she is well backed by others on the WTA Tour and believes others were "afraid to speak up".

"There were a lot [of messages] that day and I really felt a lot of support within the tennis community as well," she said.

"Players, coaches, agents, people from around the world who weren't necessarily there who were just saying I'm glad you said that, I support you and I agree with you and I just realised a lot of people were maybe afraid to speak up. That's how I am, so."

Bouchard also emphasised the point that the extra motivation allowed her to win the grudge match.

"Once I was on the court I put everything else to the side and I just wanted to play as well as I could," she said.

"I definitely had a bit of extra motivation to kind of do it for all of us who have been fair to the sport and who have played the sport in the true way it’s meant to be played."

Sharapova recently said she has not set her sights on qualifying for the US Open, with her injury-punctured tennis comeback yet to take in a grand slam.

The former world No.1 was denied a wildcard for the French Open and has not played since May's Rome Masters.

Sharapova played on US soil for the first time since her suspension over the weekend at a World Team Tennis event in San Diego. She holds a 5-3 record on the WTA Tour since returning in Stuttgart in April.

The 2006 Flushing Meadows champion is due to play in Stanford and Toronto ahead of the US Open, which she could have to reach via qualifying if not offered a main-draw wildcard - however, a return to New York will not influence the 30-year-old's plans.

"It's not something that I think about; it's not part of my job," Sharapova said.

"Just because I have to be realistic that I haven't played in a long time.

"With the injury, it was almost like a two-year break for me.

"The importance and significance of every tournament is much more in my mind than what I can or cannot do at the US Open."

with Ominsport