Genie Bouchard offers terse post-match interview despite win at Wimbledon qualifying
Canadian made the final of the tournament in 2014
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard generated plenty of headlines Tuesday and it wasn't for her first-round victory in the qualification draw at Wimbledon.
A one-time finalist at the All-England Club, Bouchard gave a terse post-match interview after her 6-0, 6-2 win over Lin Zhu of China. Despite posting a comfortable victory, Bouchard appeared less than enthused and provided pithy answers to the broadcaster's questions.
A former top-five player, the 24-year-old Canadian has tumbled down the rankings in recent years. Bouchard currently sits at No. 191 on the WTA Tour list.
It wasn't immediately clear why Bouchard seemed so displeased. Online reaction was swift after the video clip of the 35-second interview started making the rounds on social media.
The New York Post's online headline read: "Eugenie Bouchard doesn't seem happy after rare victory."
The Independent said Bouchard's answers were "curt," adding in a Twitter post that the "icy post-match interview raises eyebrows."
Another London-based outlet, Metro News, described the interaction as "frosty."
The full clip can be watched below:
Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., has been forced to enter qualifying draws or use wild-card entries at some tournaments this season due to her poor ranking. She has yet to beat a top-75 opponent this season.
Bouchard will face world No. 219 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in the next round. A third-round qualification victory would get Bouchard a spot in the main draw of the Grand Slam event, set to begin Monday.
Meanwhile, three other Canadians were in action in qualifying play on Tuesday morning.
Bianco Andreescu, from Mississauga, Ont., defeated American Grace Min 6-2, 6-0. The 18-year-old made the main draw last year, but lost in the first round.
The other Canadians entered in the women's draw were eliminated. Germany's Antonia Lottner topped Montreal's Francoise Abanda 7-5, 6-4 and Italy's Deborah Chiesa topped No. 20 Carol Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont., 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
Men's draw
In men's second-round qualifying play, Montreal's Brayden Schnur was scheduled to play Argentina's Andrea Collarini later Tuesday. Eighth-seeded Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont., was to meet Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Main draw action is set to begin Monday. Organizers will also announce the seedings Wednesday and unveil the singles draws Friday.
World No. 26 Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., and No. 32 Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., are on the men's singles entry list with No. 93 Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver.
Raonic pulled out of last week's Queen's Club tournament due to a right pectoral strain but appears primed to return at Wimbledon.
Competition continues at the Grand Slam event through July 15.
With files from CBC Sports