Never heard the name Eugenie Bouchard or Genie Bouchard? If you haven’t, that’s going to change in 2014. Not only are you looking at the breakout star at the Australian Open, you’re also looking at what we predict will be the next Maria Sharapova-like superstar.
The 19-year-old Bouchard, the 30th seed at the Australian Open, is in the semifinals tonight at 9:30 on ESPN2. She beat Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals. The furthest she’d ever advanced at a Grand Slam was the third round last year at Wimbledon.
Off the court, Bouchard has started to make commercials, like this one for Pinty’s, a Canadian food company.
And the Australian media has taken notice at her marketability.
Her agent told the Sydney Morning Herald today:
”She’s got the personality, she’s got the game, she’s got the looks. She speaks two languages [French and English] and the crossover appeal is great. Aussie fans love her, French fans love her … I think she is very rare, let’s put it that way.
”I really think she has the ability to be more marketable than Maria [Sharapova]. She speaks the two languages where the four grand slams are played. Maria was Genie’s idol when she was younger but now they’re competitors.
