logo
Eugenie Bouchard fans ready as she plays final pro match on Centre Court

Eugenie Bouchard fans ready as she plays final pro match on Centre Court

Global News6 days ago
See more sharing options
Send this page to someone via email
Share this item on Twitter
Share this item via WhatsApp
Share this item on Facebook
Montreal tennis player Eugenie Bouchard burst onto the scene in 2014 when she made the finals at Wimbledon.
Once ranked 5th in the world, she announced her retirement from the sport after competing in this week's Canadian Tennis Open Montreal.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
As Global's Tim Sargeant reports, fans are giving her a heroes' welcome.
Watch the video above for the full story.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko advances to NBO semifinals in Montreal
Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko advances to NBO semifinals in Montreal

Global News

time2 hours ago

  • Global News

Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko advances to NBO semifinals in Montreal

Two days after ousting top seed Coco Gauff in 62 minutes, there was no letdown for Victoria Mboko — even if she needed to dig a little deeper to keep her dream run alive. The Canadian teenage sensation booked her place in the National Bank Open semifinals with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Monday night. The first set, despite her win, was messy and filled with errors for both players. The second got off to what Mboko called a 'slow, rocky start,' with the 18-year-old from Toronto down 2-0 and a break early. View image in full screen The crowd cheers for Victoria Mboko of Canada during her game against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during quarterfinal tennis action at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi Then the momentum shifted. The rising star who rarely seems to lose finished strong, winning six straight games to close out the match. Story continues below advertisement 'I was a fighter in that situation,' Mboko said. 'That moment was just pure fight-or-flight instincts. 'I really wanted to do the best I could to break her back, and I did everything in my power to stay in there and match her, match what she was producing.' Mission accomplished. She broke back in the fourth, sixth and eighth games while holding serve throughout. Bouzas Maneiro's backhand sailed long on match point, and Mboko dropped her arms and smiled in disbelief after 77 minutes on centre court at IGA Stadium. Then she ran to her handshake and blew kisses to the crowd while it celebrated with a standing ovation. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'So excited to be in a semifinal here, I want to thank everyone for your support once again,' Mboko, who trained in Montreal as a junior, told the crowd. 'It's been an unreal experience and I couldn't be more grateful.' Mboko is the first Canadian to reach the WTA 1000 event's semifinals since Bianca Andreescu's title run in 2019 — and the first to do so in Montreal in the Open Era. She's also the youngest woman to reach the semis since Belinda Bencic's 2015 win in Toronto. And there's more: Monica Seles (1995) and Simona Halep (2015) are the only other women to make the final four after entering the tournament as a wild card. Story continues below advertisement It's been a breakthrough year for Mboko, who has surged from outside the top 300 to No. 85 in the world rankings. That number is projected to climb to at least No. 48 after she boosted her record to 25-8 against higher-ranked players and 51-9 in all competitions. Mboko hit three aces and won 58.2 per cent of the points while converting five of nine breakpoint chances and saving three of five. The hometown favourite also won 16 of 20 points on the 51st-ranked Bouzas Maneiro's second serve. Beyond the second set turnaround, she also showed resolve in the first. At 2-2, Mboko fell in a 15-40 hole, but ultimately took the prolonged game thanks to five service winners, regularly opening points with 180-kilometre-per-hour strikes. 'I don't want to say there's really a secret,' Mboko said of pulling through when her back is against the wall. 'Being calm in such stressful situations is key to delivering what you want to do in those tight moments. 'The human reaction is always to tense up and act out, but I think if I project calmness and relaxness, I'm going to also have the same thing in my head … that's what's been helping me get through those tough and tight situations.' As the last Canadian remaining in singles, Mboko has made a name for herself at home, putting her powerful ball-striking on display in her first National Bank Open main draw. Story continues below advertisement She will meet Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in Wednesday's semifinals. The ninth-seeded Rybakina — who knocked Mboko out in the round-of-16 at the D.C. Open in July — advanced after Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk was forced to retire with a wrist injury while trailing 6-1, 2-1 earlier Monday night. The tournament, which runs through Thursday's final, is wide open after the top-five seeds failed to reach the quarterfinals. After two injury-plagued years, Mboko — who had shown promise as a junior — opened the season with a 22-match winning streak and captured five titles on the lower-tier ITF Tour. She then qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw at the French Open, reaching the third round, before stunning 25th seed Magdalena Frech in the first round at Wimbledon. And the upsets keep coming. In Montreal, Mboko has dropped just one set, rattling off wins over 79th-ranked Kimberly Birrell, 23rd seed Sofia Kenin, 39th-ranked Marie Bouzkova and Gauff, the world No. 2. 'I was really happy to have won that day, but at the end of the day, I'm still in the tournament,' Mboko said of her milestone win over Gauff. 'It's not like I went to celebrate or anything. I was still locked in like I normally am in a tournament. You play a tournament because you want to win it.' Story continues below advertisement This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2025.

Maple Leafs sign Villeneuve to extension
Maple Leafs sign Villeneuve to extension

Global News

time3 hours ago

  • Global News

Maple Leafs sign Villeneuve to extension

See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenceman William Villeneuve to a one-year, two-way contract extension, the NHL club announced Tuesday. The 23-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que., recorded 40 points (four goals, 36 assists) in 55 games with the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies last season. He added two assists in two games during the Calder Cup playoffs. Story continues below advertisement Villeneuve has posted 90 points (nine goals, 81 assists) in 165 career regular-season AHL games. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The six-foot-two, 195-pound defenceman was originally selected by Toronto in the fourth round (122nd overall) of the 2020 NHL draft. Before joining the Maple Leafs organization, Villeneuve posted 153 points (21 goals, 132 assists) in 216 career regular-season Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games with the Saint John Sea Dogs, while adding seven points (one goal, six assists) in 11 playoff games. Villeneuve won the 2022 Memorial Cup with the Sea Dogs and was named to the 2020 and 2022 QMJHL second all-star team. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.

'World's sexiest athlete' Alica Schmidt opens up about health issue and 'tough' season on track
'World's sexiest athlete' Alica Schmidt opens up about health issue and 'tough' season on track

Toronto Sun

time4 hours ago

  • Toronto Sun

'World's sexiest athlete' Alica Schmidt opens up about health issue and 'tough' season on track

German track and field star is hoping for a return to full health for the 2026 season. German track star Alica Schmidt has been dubbed the 'world's sexiest athlete.' Twitter The woman dubbed the 'World's sexiest athlete' wasn't feeling too hot during a recent track meet, she revealed on social media. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account German track star Alica Schmidt opened up about her 'tough' season on the track, saying that while it didn't go as planned, it was 'definitely the one' that she needed. Schmidt also shared that she caught COVID-19 ahead of this past weekend's German national track and field championships, which hampered her performance. 'This season really put me to the test this year. Tough races, lots of lessons, and a whole lot of growth. It wasn't the season I was hoping for, but it was definitely the one I needed,' Schmidt wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday along with two photos of herself from the meet. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Unfortunately, I caught Covid a few days before Nationals, so I wasn't able to show up at my best, definitely frustrating.' Despite the illness, Schmidt competed in the 800-metre event on Saturday, but failed to qualify for the final. She also wrote in her post that this season has been about learning to master the 800-metre event after having previously focused on 400-metre races. 'This year is about committing, learning, challenging and accepting,' she wrote. 'Everything I need to learn on how to tackle the 800m.' The blond bombshell had posted a much better showing at the German Indoor Championships in February, winning her qualifying heat before coming in fourth in the final. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She also was part of the first-place team from SCC Berlin in a second final heat of the women's 4×200-metre relay short track at the event. As for looking ahead, Schmidt is now aiming 'to get my body 100% healthy again and squeeze in a few more races before shifting focus to 2026,' while adding that she is 'still completely in love with the process.' Schmidt has risen to stardom online in recent years, amassing more than 5.5 million followers on Instagram alone. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Schmidt represented Germany in the women's 4x400m relay and the mixed 4x400m relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after going to the Tokyo Games in 2021, but not getting the chance to compete. Schmidt did not medal in either of her events and also was controversially chosen over Luna Bulmahn in the women's relay, despite her teammate being expected to start. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The 26-year-old part-time model said at the time that she took away many lessons from the experience while calling it 'an emotional roller-coaster.' 'The Olympics are not just about winning medals. It's about being alongside inspiring athletes while competing at the highest level. Showing ambition, celebrating diversity and people no matter who they are and where they are from,' Schmidt wrote in post on Instagram last year. 'The past weeks were an emotional roller-coaster and I was able to learn a lot. As an athlete I am still not where I want to be and maybe I will never be. But the one thing that is for sure: I will never stop trying and figuring out ways to improve. 'I love taking you guys with me on this journey and hope to inspire young athletes and show how amazing this sport can be!' Read More Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Columnists Opinion Relationships Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store