Canadian world quantity 285 Eugenie Bouchard has apologised after she prompt two tennis rivals had been ‘dopers’ in an unprovoked and outrageous tweet.
The 29-year-old defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 to e book her spot within the spherical of 64 on the Madrid Open on Thursday.
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Shortly after her victory the Canadian took to social media with a controversial submit that was deleted not lengthy after.
“There’s something about playing dopers in Madrid,” she wrote in a shot at each Yastremska and her former rival Maria Sharapova.
Yastremska was handed a provision suspension again in 2021 after testing optimistic for anabolic steroid mesterolone.
Her ban was finally lifted in June, 2021 after it was introduced by the International Tennis Federation she “bore no fault or negligence” for the failed take a look at.
Despite that ruling Bouchard nonetheless composed and hit ship on the tweet after her victory over the Ukrainian.
The tweet additionally served as a shot at former world primary Sharapova who Bouchard defeated throughout the Madrid Open again in 2017.
The pair faced-off throughout the spherical of 32 with Bouchard rising victorious 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Bouchard was a vocal critic of the Russian who served a 15-month ban after utilizing the guts drug meldonium.
In a follow-up tweet on Friday after shedding in straight units within the second spherical to Martina Trevisan, Bouchard apologised for her ‘unnecessary’ assault.
“I want to apologize for my tweet yesterday,” Bouchard wrote.
“It was a lapse in judgment, and unnecessary. Though I’ve always championed fair play, I didn’t have all my facts in order and certainly didn’t mean to cause harm.
“I’m going to continue to work on myself going forward, both on and off the court.”
Bouchard and Sharapova have endured a testy relationship for years with a number of from either side ignited by Bouchard’s claims that Sharapova was a ‘cheater’.
In a blistering assault on the time of Sharapova’s ban, the Canadian slammed her rival saying the ban wasn’t lengthy sufficient whereas labelling her a “cheater”.
“I don’t think that’s right. She’s a cheater,” Bouchard instructed Turkey’s TRT World.
“I don’t think a cheater at any sport should be allowed to play that sport again.
“It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and are true.
“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 definitely not someone I look up to anymore because it’s definitely ruined it for me a little bit.”
Source: www.news.com.au
