Eugenie Bouchard has threatened to leave social media after facing backlash for her thoughts on US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula.
World No.3 Pegula reached her first Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows and fought hard against Aryna Sabalenka in her straight-sets defeat (7-5, 7-5). While the 30-year-old received plenty of plaudits for her performances in New York, it was done against a backdrop of discussions about her upbringing.
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The tennis star is the daughter of billionaire Terry Pegula, the owner of NFL franchise Buffalo Bills and NHL side Buffalo Sabres. Interestingly, Pegula is one of two billionaire daughters ranked in the top 10, with Emma Navarro also reaching the US Open semi-finals.
Former Wimbledon finalist Bouchard won a doubles tournament with Pegula in 2012 and stuck up for her former teammate, amid the attention placed on her privileged background. However, Bouchard’s words were misinterpreted by some fans on social media, who believed she was taking a dig at Pegula’s US Open defeat.
Responding to a post discussing how Pegula had climbed the rankings like every other player, regardless of her family background, Bouchard wrote on X: “Money can’t buy a US Open final lol.”
It was clear to many that Bouchard was commending Pegula for reaching a Grand Slam final, but the 30-year-old was still forced to clarify that she was praising her former doubles partner for her “talent and hard work”.
When one user admitted to misunderstanding Bouchard’s post, she replied: “Literally how? I’m complimenting her, she achieved a Grand Slam final because of hard work, dedication, etc. not because of money. You can’t buy your way through the US Open draw. She’s amazing. Leaving this app.”
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Bouchard is yet to shut down her X profile, which boasts 1.5million followers, but is no stranger to off-court scrutiny. Following a breakout year in 2014, she was labelled the world ’s most marketable athlete by SportsPro and was often seen brushing shoulders with top stars, though struggled to maintain the early peak of her tennis career, currently ranked 570th.
The Canadian star looked to have turned her back on the sport in 2023 after signing a deal with the Professional Pickleball Association, though continues to occasionally compete and combines both with punditry work for the Tennis Channel. Meanwhile, Pegula was left bemused by some of the assumptions about her lifestyle ahead of the US Open final.
“People think I have a butler, I get chauffeured around, I have a private limo, I fly private everywhere,” Pegula said. “I’m definitely not like that. A butler?! It’s a little annoying, but honestly I just think it’s kind of funny.”