13 September 2023 , 07:30
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Eugenie Bouchard was unable to maintain her silence after tennis rival Simona Halep was slapped with a four-year tennis suspension.
The former world number one won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019. She also reached the Australian Open final in 2018 and US Open semi-finals in 2015.
Now, though, her reputation is in tatters over doping breaches. And it's something that Bouchard couldn't help but react to. Posting on X (formerly Twitter) with a mouth covered emoji, she said: "I was told not to tweet today."
Canadian Bouchard has been in the spotlight lately over her strong stance towards doping. In a US Open qualifying match against Dayana Yastremska prior to this summer's tournament - which the Ukrainian won - Bouchard was snubbed from a post-match handshake.
Yastremska went straight to the umpire and glared at Bouchard. This stems from a match at the Madrid Open in April in which the result was flipped. After Bouchard's victory she controversially tweeted: "There's something about playing dopers in Madrid."
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Despite taking the post down and apologising, Bouchard was criticised for her tweet - including by some of her fellow tennis professionals. But it wasn't the first time she has spoken out.
Again at the Madrid Open, this time in 2017, Bouchard called Maria Sharapova a "cheat" and claimed she should never play tennis again. This is shortly after the Russian returned to tennis after serving a 15-month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
Simona Halep has been banned from tennis for four years (AFP via Getty Images)"She's a cheater and so to me ... I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again," she said. "It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and are true. So, I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids -- cheat and we’ll welcome you back with open arms.
"I don’t think that’s right and ... [she's] definitely not someone I can say I look up to anymore because that's definitely ruined it for me a little bit."
Bouchard then beat Sharapova, citing she had 'extra motivation' to get the job done. At the time, Halep was asked about her relationship with Bouchard and if she wished her luck in the tournament at all.
"I didn’t wish good luck to Bouchard because we don’t speak, actually," Halep bluntly responded. "She’s different, I can say. I cannot judge her for being this. I cannot admire her for being this, and I have nothing to say about her person."
It is then no surprise to see Bouchard send a sly dig Halep's way after her strong stance on doping and rocky relationship with the Romanian.
The 31-year-old tested positive for Roxadustat after last year's US Open. Roxadustat is a recognised banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency but Halep has maintained she 'never knowingly or intentionally' took the drug. She has vowed to appeal the decision.