The 2017 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells starts later this week and one player that will be looking for a strong result is Canada's Eugenie Bouchard. Currently ranked 53rd in the world, Bouchard has not been all that active since the Australian Open. She contested Acapulco last week, but fell in the first round, a result that remains her only tournament since Melbourne Park. Before that this season her main highlight was a run to the Sydney semifinals where she beat Dominika Cibulkova en route.
Indian Wells is a major stop on tour
Bouchard has seemed more interested in her tennis abilities so far this season than she has for the last couple.
However, she doesn't have a great result in 2017 to back it up yet. That said, Indian Wells is certainly a big enough stage to capture some limelight on the women's tour. It might not be the Australian Open, but the tournament from California is still a major stop on tour, there's loads of media coverage in the American setting, and all the top stars that are fit to play are in the draw.
Bouchard finds herself on the bottom half of the draw, a good place to be to avoid playing Serena Williams in any early-round match. Due to the Canadian's low ranking, she won't be afforded a bye in the tournament and will instead have to defeat Annika Beck just to get into the 2nd round. Surviving that, Kristina Mladenovic will be lurking, an in-form French player.
Furthermore, Simona Halep is seeded fourth near Bouchard in the draw, a slumping player but one who will be dangerous if she breaks out of her slump.
Bouchard is considered very peripheral
The betting odds on Bouchard suggest that she's nowhere near a contender in Indian Wells. 888Sport make the Canadian 20 to 1 just to make the semifinals.
On outrights, the same firm makes her 200 to 1. But one match result that certainly implies that she's in the tournament more than her odds suggest came from Melbourne Park. Bouchard effectively lost a coin toss to Coco Vandeweghe in the third round of the tournament, the American going on to the semifinals. Perhaps the Canadian was not that far from making the semis herself or even the final down under. Accordingly, with Halep slumping so far this season, Bouchard may take advantage of the chance to make a good run in California, one that might get her ranking back up as well as her confidence.
