Sources said longtime sponsor Nike is paying Bouchard no money, as of March 1, with her WTA ranking at 116GETTY IMAGES
The effects of tennis player Eugenie Bouchard's struggles on the court "finally are being felt off it," as three of her biggest sponsors -- Colgate, insurance company Aviva and nutritional supplement line Usana -- did "not renew their agreements this year," according to sources cited by Stephanie Myles of the N.Y. TIMES. Also, sources said that longtime clothing sponsor Nike is "paying her zero dollars, as of March 1," with her WTA ranking at 116. Bouchard's compensation is "strictly performance- and rankings-based." It is "expected that she will no longer wear a line exclusive to her." Myles noted of "more pressing concern is the fact that her longtime contract with Babolat rackets expired at the end" of '17, and "was not renewed." Her agent, TLA Worldwide's John Tobias, also "severed ties" with Bouchard last week. Two minor endorsements in recent weeks were "made without Tobias's knowledge and damaged the player-agent relationship." One has Bouchard "promoting an e-book about cryptocurrency," while the second "shows Bouchard in full makeup pointing to a tube of chewable energy tablets from Neuenergy." TLA was the "fourth agency to represent Bouchard since she reached the Wimbledon women's singles final" in '14. Tobias said, "I didn't agree with the way some things were being done, and felt it [was] best if she found someone else." Bouchard, who last month reached an undisclosed settlement for damages after suing the USTA, on Wednesday "conceded that the parting with Tobias was not 'by mutual agreement.'" Bouchard: "I don't have anyone in place right now. A lot has been going on and it's, like, the seventh thing on my mind right now. But after this tournament I'll regroup, spend some time with my team and try to figure something out" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/10).
