'This is insane': Fan pays $133,000 for date with Eugenie Bouchard
Eugenie Bouchard has raised AU$133,000 for charity after a fan forked out for a dinner date with the tennis star.
Bouchard put herself and a trip to watch her play up for auction as part of the ‘All In Challenge’ for American charity 15 Seconds of Fame.
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Thirty-seven bids were made, ranging from US$25000 to the insane winning bid of US$85,000.
“This … is insane … you guys are amazing!!!” Bouchard posted on Instagram after the auction.
“I’m so grateful and proud of you all for joining me on this project. I can’t wait to meet the winner!”
A description of the prize reads: “Get more than your 15 seconds of fame with Genie Bouchard.
“The lucky winner and a guest will go to any tennis tournament of their choice.
“That’s right, US Open, French Open, Wimbledon or the Australian Open – Genie has the airfare covered.
“Sit in the player’s box next to Genie’s team and coach while you cheer her on to victory.
“Enjoy a meal with the tennis star and even get a racquet and sneakers signed by Genie herself.”
It won’t be the first time Bouchard takes a fan on a date.
The Canadian famously lost a bet with a random Twitter follower on the 2017 Super Bowl, with the lucky man winning a date with her.
The fan - John Goehrke - bet Bouchard the New England Patriots would come back to beat the Atlanta Falcons, which they did.
Goehrke was lucky enough to go to an NBA game alongside Bouchard, before reconnecting with her a number of times - including hanging out together at his house.
They then attended Super Bowl 52 together in 2018, but things fizzled out after that.
WTA and ATP tours extend suspension
Bouchard has had a lot of time on her hands due to the coronavirus-induced shutdown of the tennis tours.
There will be no professional tennis until the end of July after the ATP and WTA Tours extended their suspension on Friday.
The men's and women's tours were due to resume on July 13 following a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it was announced that has now been extended until the end of the month.
No tennis has been played since the end of February because of the global shutdown.
The new extension means ATP Tour events in Hamburg, Bastad, Newport, Los Cabos, Gstaad, Umag, Atlanta and Kitzbuhel are all cancelled while Lausanne, Bucharest, and Jurmala will now not host tournaments on the WTA Tour.
“Due to continued uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to announce our decision to extend the suspension of the Tour,” said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
“Just like tennis fans, players and tournament hosts all over the world, we share in the disappointment the Tour continues to be affected in this way.
“We continue to assess all of our options in an effort to resume the Tour as soon as it is safe to do so.”
A WTA spokesperson added: “We regret this is the case but will continue to be guided by medical experts for when it is safe and possible to return to WTA competition.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and are hopeful to be back on the court as soon as possible.”
with AAP
