AFP, LONDON: Eugenie Bouchard said she was feeling the joy flowing again at Wimbledon after a torrid year that saw her high-flying career plunge into a tailspin.
The 22-year-old said she was playing the best she has all year after booking her place in Saturday's third round at the All England Club.
The Canadian became one of the most bankable assets in women's tennis in 2014 when she stormed to the Wimbledon final as well as the semi-finals of the Australian and French Opens.
But the confident, charismatic blonde then saw her career nosedive in 2015 and her ranking slump. The former world number five is now ranked 48 and well outside the Wimbledon seedings.
“Everyone has ups and downs, in tennis and in life,” Bouchard said after beating British 16th seed Johanna Konta 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 on Centre Court on Thursday.
“So I have experienced both of those to the extreme in tennis. I have learned a lot from it. I have been able to experience feeling those expectations and pressure and all that kind of stuff, which weighed down on me a little bit last year.
“So I have learned from that, and now I really find the joy in tennis and only want to look forward and just try to become the best player I can be.”