Tennis star loses million-dollar contract due to haircut, finds joy in pickleball

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard disclosed that a defiant choice about her hairstyle led to the loss of a valuable endorsement contract with the luxury watchmaker Rolex—a regrettable career shift during her height of popularity.

From Wimbledon sensation to immense pressure

Bouchard, now 32, was once one of the most prominent figures in women's tennis. The Canadian player rose to fame by reaching the final of the Wimbledon Championships in 2014 at just 20 years old.

In that match, she faced Czech star Petra Kvitová in her second appearance at the prestigious tournament. Although she lost the final, this achievement propelled Bouchard into the spotlight.

She quickly climbed to a world No. 5 ranking in women's tennis and became one of the most watched athletes, unlocking numerous commercial opportunities and off-court fame.

However, the spotlight also brought significant pressure. Speaking to Tennis Insider Club, Bouchard admitted that the years following her Wimbledon success were extremely difficult for her. "After that fantastic 2014, 2015 was really tough for me," she said. "At that time, mental health issues weren't discussed as openly as they are now. I suffered a lot but didn't dare speak up."

According to Bouchard, acknowledging visits to a psychologist was still viewed negatively back then. "Even saying you were seeing a therapist was considered strange. People thought you were crazy or weak. I'm glad things have changed now and it's a normal topic, but at the time I went through a very hard period without being able to share it with anyone."

Pressure from public opinion and scrutiny of her performance led Bouchard to express her individuality in another way. After an early exit at the 2016 Australian Open, she decided to change her hairstyle with a bold undercut. However, the outcome took a negative turn. "Actually, I just wanted a very small undercut. I don't know what happened, but in the end… almost half my head was shaved. I thought I looked like a cancer patient. I was like: 'This isn't the hairstyle I wanted.' It was much worse than I originally intended."

This defiant hairstyle resulted in a heavy price for her. According to Bouchard, watch brand Rolex emailed her representative, stating that the player's new image was "not aligned" with the brand image they cultivated. Consequently, the sponsorship agreement between the two parties was not renewed.

Previously, Bouchard had been one of the world's most commercially valuable athletes. The year after reaching the Wimbledon final, she was ranked No. 1 on SportsPro's list of "The World's Most Marketable Athletes." Beyond tennis, Bouchard frequently appeared in famous magazines and even participated in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Shifting to pickleball

After many years of top-level competition, Bouchard announced her retirement from professional tennis last year at the Canadian Open in her home country.

The athlete born in 1994 switched to professional pickleball and now competes in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) tour. "I signed with the PPA almost two years ago. At that time, I went from being a full-time professional tennis player to part-time, then gradually moved to pickleball. It was a fairly smooth transition," Bouchard shared in a Zoom interview.

According to her, transitioning step by step in this way helped avoid the psychological shock of leaving a long-term career. "Looking back, I think this approach was very good. Going from 100 to 0 immediately would have been very difficult mentally and physically. Now I still get to compete, I still have to maintain fitness, and I didn't have to leave sports abruptly."

Recent results show Bouchard emerging as a new star in pickleball. She reached the final at the PPA Rate Vegas Open after defeating Kate Fahey and Jorja Johnson before losing to Anna Leigh Waters in the championship match. Prior to that, she also won a silver medal at the Life Time Arden event after overcoming Mary Brascia in the semifinals. Besides professional competition, Bouchard also serves as an ambassador promoting pickleball.