Eugenie Bouchard has poured fuel all over a long-running feud in a controversial, since deleted, Twitter post.
The current world number 285 reignited the flame following her first round victory at the Madrid Open on Thursday.
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The 29-year-old defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 to book her spot in the round of 64 where she’ll take on the 18th seeded Martina Trevisan.
Shortly after her victory the Canadian took to social media with a controversial post that was deleted not long after.
Unfortunately for Bouchard she forgot that the internet doesn’t forget with her post being captured by fans around the world.
The post had a photo of Bouchard with a celebratory clench of the fist, but it was the caption that caused uproar.
“There’s something about playing dopers in Madrid,” she wrote in a shot at her opening round opponent and a clip to her former rival Maria Sharapova.
Yastremska was handed a provision suspension back in 2021 after testing positive for anabolic steroid mesterolone.
Her ban was ultimately lifted in June, 2021 after it was announced by the International Tennis Federation she “bore no fault or negligence” for the failed test.
Despite that ruling Bouchard still composed and hit send on the tweet after her victory over the Ukrainian.
The tweet also served as a shot at former world number one Sharapova who Bouchard defeated during the Madrid Open back in 2017.
The pair faced-off during the round of 32 with Bouchard emerging victorious 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Bouchard was a vocal critic of the Russian who served a 15-month ban after using the heart drug meldonium.
In a blistering attack at the time, the Canadian slammed her rival saying the ban wasn’t long enough while labelling her a “cheater”.
“I don’t think that’s right. She’s a cheater,” Bouchard told Turkey’s TRT World. “I don’t think a cheater at any sport should be allowed to play that sport again. It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and are true. I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids: ‘Cheat and we’ll welcome you back with open arms.’
“I don’t think that’s right, and definitely not someone I look up to anymore because it’s definitely ruined it for me a little bit.”