Eugenie Bouchard fails to meet retirement condition as she breaks down in tears

Eugenie Bouchard was overcome with emotion as she bid farewell to her tennis career at the Canadian Open. The former world No. 5, who has been largely absent from the sport in recent years, accepted a wildcard for the Montreal event to make her final bow - albeit claiming she would play on if she won the tournament.

Bouchard triumphed in her first match and was leading 17th seed Belinda Bencic in the third set before succumbing to a 6-2 3-6 6-4 defeat. Post-match, tears flowed as she prepared to address the crowd during a poignant on-court ceremony.

"I'll try not to cry," Bouchard promised, despite already having let some tears slip following the match's conclusion. "I think it's so special to play my last match here in Montreal on this court in front of you guys. I remember being a little kid, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day.

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"I grew up playing on these courts and courts all around Montreal and near here, so it feels like such a full circle moment to finish my career here. Tennis has given me so much, I am filled with so much gratitude for this sport and for the people who helped me along the way."

The weight of the occasion was evident as the 2014 Wimbledon finalist struggled to maintain composure while acknowledging her family's role in her career. She added: "I want to thank my family.

"Mum, dad, my sisters and brother, for their sacrifice and support. It's only because of that, that I'm standing here today. And I want you guys to know that when this crowd cheers for me, they're cheering for you guys too, because I wouldn't be here without you."

Bouchard also took the opportunity to address her supporters in French before being presented with a commemorative photo frame that celebrated her tennis career. Meanwhile, the crowd showed their appreciation with a sign that said 'Merci Genie'.

The 31-year-old has been one of Canada's most accomplished tennis players. Her standout year was 2014, when she won her first title in Nuremberg, reached the Wimbledon final, entered the top five in the world rankings and made it to the semi-finals of two other Grand Slams.

However, since that peak, which earned her the WTA's Most Improved Player of the Year award, Bouchard has struggled to maintain that level of performance, facing numerous injuries and taking breaks from the sport. The Canadian star has also ventured into the professional pickleball circuit.

Earlier in the month, she announced her intention to retire from professional tennis at her home event. Despite her retirement plans, Bouchard jokingly suggested she might reconsider if she won the Montreal tournament.

Although she didn't clinch the title, she gave a strong performance against world No. 20 Bencic, nearly causing an upset by taking her to three sets. When questioned about her certainty on retiring after such a display, Bouchard said: "Everyone keeps asking me that. My sister said she started a petition with fans in the crowd, and everyone signed it, so now I have no choice but to rescind my retirement!

"But there's a lot of hard work that goes into tennis. It was great to be able to perform well, but you know, it's such a tough life of sacrifice and hard work.

"I've given so much to tennis, and it's given me so much, but I do feel ready to move on from that and do other things in life, but I will forever be grateful for what tennis has given me."