Genie Bouchard to play in local Quebec tennis tournament this September

Aug 2 2017, 11:36 pm

Genie will be playing in Quebec after all.

With the women’s tournament for the Rogers Cup taking place in Toronto this year, that was no guarantee. Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that the 23-year-old tennis star from Westmount will play in the National Bank Cup, held at PEPS at Laval University in Quebec City, beginning September 12.

Bouchard will be playing in the tournament for the second straight year, as she tries to become the first Canadian to win the title. The best-ever finish for the former world No. 5 was the semi-finals, which she reached in 2014.

Genie’s lone WTA title also came in 2014, in Nurnberg.

“I am happy to be coming back to the National Bank Cup, especially since this will be my only chance to play in Quebec in 2017,” Bouchard said through a media release. “I love playing in front of my fans because they always give me so much support. This year, I hope to go all the way and give them a good reason to cheer.”

Bouchard won’t be the only Canadian in the draw, as 20-year-old Montrealer Françoise Abanda also earned direct entry into the main draw. More Canadians will be awarded wild card positions in the following weeks.

The National Bank Cup takes place after the US Open, which wraps up September 10 in New York. The top seed in the 32-player draw is slated to be Timea Babos, the 42nd-ranked player in the world from Hungary.

“It will be a special year since we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the tournament. The celebrations begin today with the announcement of an impressive player list – a good mix of young players and veterans who have left their mark on the tour,” said tournament director Jacques Hérisset. “The fans will have the chance to see some familiar faces and discover some new rising stars. We know that these incredible athletes will put on a great show.”

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Rob WilliamsRob Williams

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