PARIS — Eugenie Bouchard’s slog across the continents to regain her best form took a significant hit at the French Open on Thursday. In a battle of former Roland Garros semifinalists, Bouchard was leading by 4-1 in the first set and was possibly on a path to an important victory over No. 8 Timea Bacsinszky.
But in an abrupt turn that mirrored her recent career downturn, Bouchard’s focus blurred and she lost 10 games in a row. Bacsinszky, who reached the French Open semifinals last year, won, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the third round.
After her loss, Bouchard chastised herself for her mental lapses, especially because that is an area she had been emphasizing in recent months as a way to reverse her misfortune.