QUEBEC, September 9, 2016
Following the withdrawal of Hungary’s Timea Babos, Eugenie Bouchard (Montreal, QC) will be the top seed for the National Bank Cup presented by Mazda, held from 10 to 18 September at the Université Laval.
World no. 34 Babos was slated to be the tournament favourite, but will now be replaced at the top of the draw by world no. 39 Bouchard.
Bouchard, who practiced for the first time Thursday on Centre Court at PEPS and met Mayor Régis Labeaume, is returning to the Quebec event for the first time since reaching the semifinals in 2013. The 22-year-old won her first WTA title in 2014 at Nurnberg and has been a finalist on five occasions, including twice this year in Hobart and in Kuala Lumpur.
Eugenie en mode préparation! #CoupeBN pic.twitter.com/2i9ZFGx6lT
— CoupeBanqueNationale (@CoupeBN) 8. September 2016
Romania’s Monica Niculescu, US-American Anna Tatishvilli, and Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany have also withdrawn from the tournament. Russian Alla Kudryavtseva, Bulgaria’s Elitsa Kostova, as well as US-Americans Jessica Pegula and CiCi Bellis have been moved into the main draw.
The official draw ceremony will take place on Friday at 5 p.m. local time at PEPS on the campus of Laval University.
