Eugenie Bouchard's ATP—Around the Post—pickleball shot makes SportsCenter's Top 10

Eugenie Bouchard has traded in the WTA for the ATP.

Let's explain.

The Canadian, who 10 years ago was runner-up at Wimbledon (as well as a semifinalist at the Australian Open and Roland Garros), has pared down her professional tennis schedule significantly—in order to play professional pickleball. She competes predominantly on the PPA Tour, while her WTA singles ranking is barely clinging to the Top 1,000, at No. 997. She has played just four pro-level tennis matches in 2024.

“I was like, you know, 'I'd love to challenge myself to try something new,'” the 30-year-old told TENNIS.com earlier this year. “And also to be a part of something that is so trending and growing so much, that was really appealing to me. It was also something I could do while still playing some tennis tournaments. So that’s why I was like, ‘Yeah, sign me up.’”

In the interview, Bouchard acknowledged that “I still have a long way to go” in pickleball, “but at least I feel like I belong a little more.”

By the looks of things, she's getting closer.

In October, she reached her first professional pickleball semifinal at the Rate Championships in Las Vegas. Bouchard went 5-1 in sets before an 11-2, 14-16, 11-0 loss to eventual champion Kate Fahey.

"I'm so excited, I can't tell you how happy I am," she told Pickleballtv. "I feel like I'm been putting in the hours and I'm so happy to see it paying off on the match court."

And this week, at the Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships in Dallas, Bouchard pulled off one of her new sport's most exciting shots, the Around the Post—or ATP. The tactic requires the opponent to hit the ball at such an angle where you are taken off the court can strike the pickleball outside the net post. Land that shot in, and you have a successful ATP.

Such as this:

With long strides and a short backswing, Bouchard pulled off the hot shot—and even earned a place in the Top 10 on ESPN's SportsCenter.

Bouchard won her next match, 11-6, 11-2, and is into the round of 16 at the sport's premier event.

Sam Querrey—another tennis player turned pickleballer—has called Bouchard the most underrated player in pickle. Maybe not for much longer.