The top-tier events in Canada this week have marked the return to action of the many of the sport's biggest names since Wimbledon.  As a result, there has been ample enthralling tennis on offer as the players look to perfect their games before heading to the US Open.  But for all of the scintillating tennis happening on the court, there has been plenty of drama occurring off the court as well.  One of the most talked about stories heading into Toronto was Eugenie Bouchard's partnership with Sam Sumyk coming to an end, and it is a story that could signal greater trouble for the Canadian down the road.

Bouchard's poor result this week in Toronto should hardly come as a surprise.  Her lopsided opening-round loss to Belinda Bencic, in which she only mustered a grand total of two games combined in the first and third sets, was indicative of the struggles that she has endured most of this season.  Prior to the start of Toronto, however, it was also announced that she was splitting with coach Sam Sumyk after only approximately six months together.  It is not uncommon for players to part with coaches following a string of sub-par results. But while the announcement itself was not shocking, the split, in conjunction with Bouchard's comments following it, could be a sign of a larger conundrum for the Canadian.

The specific details pertaining to the end of the partnership between Bouchard and Sumyk have been sorely lacking.  She has alluded to a big problem that existed in the partnership, that a change was needed, and that she is looking for her next coach to be someone who can address all aspects of her game, including the technical, tactical, mental, and physical facets of things.  Granted, perhaps Bouchard should be cut a little slack in this situation.  After all, just because a coach finds success with one player does not mean the same can be said when joining the camp of another.  There are multiple learning styles and coaching methods, and if the two are not compatible, no player can hope to reach her maximum potential with such an arrangement. 

Of course, while Sumyk may truly not have been the best fit for Bouchard, he can hardly be blamed for what has been her relatively sharp decline in the rankings and lackluster performances this season.  Furthermore, while it may not have been quite what she meant, the qualifications she is looking for in her next coach would seem to imply that Sumyk was incapable of addressing all those areas with her.  Given all that Victoria Azarenka accomplished under his tutelage, it seems unlikely that Sumyk is a man incapable of seeing the big picture. 

Most people would probably surmise that the greater share of the blame for Bouchard's disappointing year lies with her rather than Sumyk.  She sounds like someone who thinks a new coach will magically pinpoint one or two things wrong in her game to quickly get her back on the winning track, but such a scenario is unlikely.  It is more between the ears, and she must shoulder a little more of the responsibility and figure things out for herself.  She is not the first young upstart to undergo a slump.  Living up to heightened expectations when the majority of the competition is now familiar with your game is never easy.  That is a reality she appears to be having difficulty coping with, and she has yet to find a viable solution to her issues.  Maybe she needs an extended hiatus from the game.  When she can, maybe she needs to focus more on the lower-tier events to try and string together some victories and rebuild her confidence. Either way, her current approach to emerging from this slump is not working.

Naturally, Bouchard is a young, talented player who is very marketable.  There is certainly a place for her in the sport.  But it is up to Bouchard to stake her place once again, and the onus is on her to find a way to do that.