Eugenie Bouchard has lost her first match since signing a new sponsorship deal with New Balance, going down 7-6 (7), 6-2 to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the Lyon Open.
Given a wild-card entry into the event, Bouchard was broken six times against the 96th-ranked Sasnovich at the WTA Tour 250 event.
The 143rd-ranked Bouchard was playing in her first main draw of the year after failing to qualify for the Australian Open.
Earlier this week the Canadian announced a new deal with sponsors New Balance after parting ways with Nike.
It has previously been reported that Nike wasn’t paying Bouchard because she was on a performance and results-based contract.
After bursting onto the scene and reaching as high as World No.5 in 2014, Bouchard has enduring a stunning fall from grace.
After being abandoned by Nike, the former Wimbledon finalist would have been keen to make a good impression on new sponsors New Balance.
But she couldn’t get the job done in another brutal first-round loss.
