Tennis star Eugenie Bouchard believes sport's 'sex appeal' played role in her popularity

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Eugenie Bouchard has won nearly 300 matches in her career and came very close to winning at Wimbledon in 2014, and she recently revealed she has the sport to thank for a lot more in her life.

Bouchard was wrapped up in a viral bet in 2017 when she made a deal with a fan. If the Atlanta Falcons lost the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots, they would go out on a date. They did just that. 

Bouchard also leveraged her tennis career into an appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

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Genie Bouchard at SI The Party at XS at Wynn Las Vegas Feb. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

She said in a recent podcast interview that tennis helped her open up to her sex appeal.

"Tennis, first of all, is a great sport for that sex appeal side," the Canadian-born tennis star said on "Not Alone, a Podcast with Valeria Lipovetsky." "We’re wearing short skirts. We’re wearing tank tops. It’s fun to turn on the TV and watch that. 

"Right away, I was able to get great marketing deals off the court. Being asked to be in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition a few times. Exploring that path was definitely on my to-do list. It’s definitely part of who I am because I think it’s great."

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Eugenie Bouchard of Canada arrives at the red carpet for the players party ahead of the WTA Guadalajara Open Akron 2022 oct. 15, 2022, in Zapopan, Mexico. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

Bouchard added that she found herself increasingly enjoying that attention and began to explore the idea of coming out of her shell.

"Just increasing my fan base, my audience, which, in turn, helps me get better brand deals, better endorsements. Not just in a personal way for me, ‘OK I can actually make more money out of this,’ but in a general sense. ‘OK, we have someone who is maybe a casual fan who is going to come to the Miami Open to watch me play.’ That’s good for tennis in general, for female tennis, for women’s sports. That’s good for everything."

Bouchard, 30, is now ranked No. 522 in the WTA.

Eugenie Bouchard hits a backhand during the Dallas Open Women's Tennis Classic Feb. 3, 2024, at Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex in Dallas, Texas.  (George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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She recently reached the quarterfinals of the ITF/USTA W75. 

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