Commentator Andrew Castle jokingly told Eugenie Bouchard that she was “fired” during the BBC’s live coverage of Wimbledon on Saturday night. Bouchard was providing courtside analysis of Grigor Dimitrov’s third-round clash with Matteo Berrettini on Centre Court.
The former tennis pro signed with the BBC for the first to work on the 2026 Championships. And she was dug out for not being able to speak Italian after Berrettini ranted at his box late in the second set.
During a change of ends, Castle asked Bouchard: “Do you speak Italian?” And the 2014 ladies singles finalist replied: “I do not but I see a lot going back and forth between Berrettini and his box, which is right behind me.
“Unfortunately only English and French I can do for you guys.”
Castle responded: “I don’t know, it’s the Italian we’re looking for Genie.” And Bouchard teased: “Is that it, am I fired?”
Laughter broke out on both sides of the court as Castle said: “That’s it, thank you for coming, you’re fired.”
And Bouchard concluded: “It was a good run, thank you for having me anyway. I’ll just see myself out.”
Castle was about to wrap up the conversation with “goodbye, enjoy your dinner” but then Henman intervened to offer Bouchard some support, saying: “Don’t do that.”
Dimitrov is a firm favourite at SW19 after winning over everyone’s hearts during last year’s tournament. The Bulgarian suffered a devastating pectoral injury when two sets up on eventual winner Jannik Sinner in the fourth round and cruelly had to retire. But he is not letting that play on his mind this year.
Dimitrov said: “I think when I say I’ve suffered through my career with minor injuries, big injury, what happened last year and all that, why am I here if I’m not putting everything on the line again?
“If I don’t have that, then there’s not going to be a point for me to be competing anymore sort of on the biggest stage of our sport, here at Wimbledon.
“Again, anything can happen. I can get injured again. You can slip. You might have an off day. Those things are just as vital, they’re there. But you have to, like, push yourself mentally to stay as fresh as possible, aware as possible, and really dig down and ask yourself the questions, what you really want, and how do you want to go about doing your business.”