Bouchard’s attorney said she has suffered from anxiety and depression since the fallGetty Images
The USTA on Friday morning told a federal jury they “would not believe” the amount of money EUGENIE BOUCHARD earned from endorsements, and suggested she had not received a concussion from her fall at the '15 U.S. Open. The comments were made in opening arguments during the damages phase of her lawsuit against the USTA. The jury on Thursday ruled the USTA was largely responsible for her fall. “When you hear in this trial how much money Ms. Bouchard has made in endorsements, you are not going to believe it,” said USTA outside counsel ALAN KAMINSKY. Bouchard’s side plans to testify she has lost tens of millions of dollars in endorsements, Kaminsky said. He also said the MRIs performed the night of her fall came back negative. Bouchard's lawyer, BENEDICT MORELLI, countered that she indeed suffered a concussion, and has been suffering anxiety and depression since that has caused her to fall in rankings to her current spot at No. 116. Kaminsky posed the question that if Bouchard was so "sad," why were her social media postings showing her so happy. Kaminsky also noted Bouchard earned endorsement income from her social media followers. Bouchard’s lawyers had asked the court to prohibit mention of her social media, but Judge ANN DONNELLY rejected that.
WHO WAS AT FAULT? In apportioning blame on Thursday, the jury placed 75% with the USTA and 25% with Bouchard. That means Bouchard would get three quarters of whatever damages the jury comes back with. The seven-person jury took less than 30 minutes on Thursday to reach a decision after the three day liability trial. Morelli declined to say how much Bouchard is seeking, but it will be substantial, likely well into the eight figures.
