After becoming women’s tennis latest breakout star last season, Eugenie Bouchard is now ready to take the spotlight from Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova next year.
Bouchard, who reached the semis of the first three Grand Slam tourneys and appeared in his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon Open, landed a big contract with WME-IMG, which is the same modeling company that handles tennis’ most bankable stars like Williams and Sharapova.
"I am really excited about joining WME-IMG, a company that is in the best possible position to help me achieve my business goals," Bouchard told the Globe and Mail. Bouchard added that the management company will be able to help her "maximize the value of her brand."
Nigel Currie, the director of sports marketing agency Brandrapport, also believed that Bouchard’s decision to join IMG would give her more opportunity to expand he fanbase and further profiting on her growing popularity.
"It's highly significant, since IMG have a really good track record of signing the best - particularly the best golf and tennis players in the world and identifying them early - so clearly they see Bouchard as a future Grand Slam winner," said Nigel Currie, director of Britain-based sports marketing agency brandrapport in an interview with the Globe and Mail.
Currie added that a sea of opportunity is waiting for Bouchard as long as she continues her rise as the successor to women’s tennis throne, especially with Williams and Sharapova entering the twilight stages of their legendary careers.
"There is no shortage of major male global superstars, but there aren't nearly as many women, so when one comes along - as we've seen with Sharapova - it opens up a whole raft of opportunities."
"I would expect for Bouchard down the line deals like watches, cosmetics, luxury jewellery, likely developing her own line, much the same as Sharapova. It's a very competitive global marketplace, and IMG are dealing with the very biggest brands all the time."
With her blonde hair and immense achievement at a very young age, the 20-year old Bouchard is often compared to Sharapova, who has also become more than a tennis icon with her growing business (Sugarpova) and dozens of endorsements deals.
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