Genie Bouchard Concludes First Year on PPA Tour: Genie Bouchard, a former World No. 5 tennis player, is set to wrap up her first full year on the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour at the Daytona Beach Open. The event, held at Pictona in Holly Hill, runs Thursday through Sunday and features amateur and professional matches. Bouchard will compete in singles, doubles with partner Layne Sleeth, and mixed doubles with Mota Alhouni.
The transition from tennis to pickleball has been challenging for the 30-year-old Montreal native, who now resides in Miami.
“I assumed, coming from tennis, I’d be good right away,”. “That was definitely not the case.”(Genie Bouchard)
Adjusting from Tennis to Pickleball
Bouchard, who was once a Wimbledon finalist, has faced an uphill battle learning the nuances of pickleball. Unlike tennis, where players aim to avoid short, soft shots, pickleball often demands mastery of such techniques.
“For 25 years, I was taught that a short, soft ball was bad,”. “Suddenly, you get to pickleball, and it’s the shot you want to master. That was the biggest shock to me.”(Genie Bouchard)
Bouchard entered the PPA Tour in 2023 and began full-time competition in 2024. She started her season with a 0-9 record in her first three tournaments but eventually secured her first match win in April. Currently, she holds a 15-17 singles record and ranks 19th on the PPA Tour standings.
Training and Learning the Game
Bouchard has worked to refine her pickleball skills by training at the PPA headquarters in Dallas. The game demands a different strategy, especially at the kitchen line, where the dink shot is essential.
“I know I have great athleticism and hand-eye coordination,”. “It’s just a matter of putting in the hours. It’s not so far off from tennis that I’m completely out of my league.”(Genie Bouchard)
Her introduction to pickleball began casually in 2021, playing with friends in Miami. By 2023, she decided to pursue it professionally but quickly realized the sport’s complexity. “I just didn’t realize how good the professionals were,” she said. “This isn’t a joke.”
Challenges and Future Goals
Despite her background in tennis, Bouchard found the physical demands of singles pickleball to be intense.
“Pickleball is physically easier than tennis, but if you play singles, that’s tough,”. “You have to move more because the ball doesn’t bounce to you.”(Genie Bouchard)
At the Las Vegas Open, she played four singles matches in one day, an experience that underscored the sport’s rigorous demands.
“You never do that in tennis,”. “I soon realized, ‘this isn’t easy.’”(Genie Bouchard)
Daytona Beach Open Details
The Daytona Beach Open will feature professional and amateur play, with over 1,000 participants. The pro tournament includes singles matches on Thursday, mixed doubles on Friday, doubles on Saturday, and finals on Sunday.
Bouchard, balancing her love for both tennis and pickleball, remains committed to improving her pickleball game.
“I love tennis,”. “It’s what I’ve done since I was 5 years old, but I know I can pick things up quickly. It was a little rough at the beginning, but we knew I could get there.”(Genie Bouchard)
News in Brief: Genie Bouchard Concludes First Year on PPA Tour
Genie Bouchard, the former World No. 5 tennis player, is concluding her first full year on the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour at the Daytona Beach Open. Competing in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, Bouchard has faced challenges adjusting from tennis to pickleball and struggling with new techniques. After starting the season with a 0-9 record, she now holds a 15-17 singles record and ranks 19th in the PPA standings.
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