Joining Something That Is Exploding’: Eugenie Bouchard on Her Shift From Tennis to Pickleball.

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard reveals why she switched from tennis to pickleball in 2023, citing lifestyle changes, a new competitive challenge, and the sport’s rapid rise in the US.

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard has opened up on her switch from professional tennis to pickleball, describing it as a carefully considered move taken at an important stage of her career.

Speaking to The Kitchen Pickleball, Bouchard said, “This was 2023 around US Open time,” recalling when discussions began. “I just remember my agents coming to me and being like, OK, the PPA are looking to bring some tennis players over.”

Rather than making an immediate switch, Bouchard said she took time to reflect on the opportunity after spending most of her life on the tennis tour, “I sat on it and thought about it,” she said. “I had been playing pro tennis for a long time.” For her, the lifestyle considerations played a key role. “I definitely felt the appeal of only travelling in the US, trying something new,” Bouchard said.

After 25 years in tennis, the challenge of learning a new sport also proved motivating for the former world No. 5. “I’ve been playing tennis for, at this point, 25 years,” she said, adding that “learning a new skill, like having that challenge,” was a major draw.

Bouchard also pointed to pickleball’s rapid growth as a deciding factor, noting the sport’s expanding professional ecosystem. “Joining something that is exploding and growing, jumping on this train of something that grew fastest than like any sport or whatever the stats are about pickleball,” she said, explaining why the timing felt right.

For Bouchard, the chance to be part of pickleball’s evolution ultimately sealed the decision, “Having a chance to be a part of that was also very enticing,” she said.

The move, she added, came down to embracing opportunity without overthinking the outcome, “I just was like, why not? Let’s just go for it.”

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