Bouchard sues USTA over fall in locker room

Eugenie Bouchard returning a ball to Dominika Cibulkova at the US Open. The Canadian slipped in the locker room soon after the match.
Eugenie Bouchard returning a ball to Dominika Cibulkova at the US Open. The Canadian slipped in the locker room soon after the match. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW YORK • Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has filed a lawsuit against the United States Tennis Association claiming negligence after she slipped and hit her head in the locker room during the US Open.

The 21-year-old said she slipped and fell from a "slippery, foreign and dangerous substance" in a locker room, forcing her to withdraw from the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

Bouchard is Canada's biggest women's tennis star and was ranked 25th in the world before the Sept 4 incident.

In the lawsuit, filed at the US District Court in New York, Bouchard said she suffered a severe head injury that caused her to step away from the WTA Tour.

She slipped after her third-round win over Dominika Cibulkova, falling backwards and landing on the back of her head. She was forced to withdraw from tournaments in Tokyo and Wuhan, China, as well.

"I thought I was physically ready, but unfortunately, the symptoms of my concussion came back," Bouchard said after the Wuhan withdrawal. "I hope to get well soon and look forward to returning next year."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 16, 2015, with the headline Bouchard sues USTA over fall in locker room. Subscribe