e me back ready by the end of the year."

Eugenie Bouchard would have chosen a different career path if she wasnt comfortable with the spotlight.The 20-year-old Canadian tennis star surged from relative anonymity to household name in 2014, reaching two Grand Slam semis before making an appearance in Julys Wimbledon final.That success on the court led to increased fame off it, but Bouchard says she wouldnt have it any other way.I knew what I was signing up for, Bouchard said on a conference call Wednesday. If didnt want attention I would have been a librarian, so I think its all good.I just need to make sure I know the priority is tennis.The Westmount, Que., native — who was named the WTAs most improved player this week — said it didnt take long for her to realize life would be drastically different as she shot up the rankings, especially after Wimbledon.It took me a couple days to get over it and get used to the whole situation, said Bouchard, the first Canadian singles player to make a Grand Slam final in the modern era. I dont know if its something you do get used to ... everyone, especially in Montreal, just coming up to you and talking to you and asking for pictures and trying to take your picture.Thats just one side of it. Of course theres a lot of off-court requests and things like that. I really just need to manage my time better. I feel like Ive done a good job, but thats definitely what I need to do.Bouchard, who rose as high as No. 5 in the world and also qualified for the season-ending WTA finals, said making her first Grand Slam semi at the Australian Open in January was a watershed moment.I kind of just proved to myself I could play on a big stage, she said. I played on centre court in the quarters and was able to win a tough match and play with all the attention and everything surrounding that tournament.I proved to myself I could handle those situations and I could play with the top players in the later stages of Grand Slams, which is so crucial.The current world No. 7, Bouchard said she tries to look ahead, but added that her loss at Wimbledon to Petra Kvitova is one she would like to have back.Just to be able to play it (again), whether I were to win or lose ... just to experience that moment again, she said. Besides that Im not going to dwell on the past. I think its important to just learn from it, but keep moving forward.Bouchard said her approach and confidence on the court is one of the biggest changes shes undergone in the last 12 months.I have so much more experience now than November 2013, she said. Ive really gone through a lot. I feel like nerves going on a big stage have improved, staying mentally tough in matches. When Im playing a good opponent — top-10, top-5 — I believe in myself more now than I did.Bouchard said she wants to cut down on the number of tournaments she plays in 2015 to reduce wear and tear after she suffered some injuries as the season wore on. She has also yet to decide if she will play in Canadas World Group I Fed Cup tie against the Czech Republic in February.When you go deeper into the draws, especially at bigger tournaments, its just so much more stressful on the body and the mind, said Bouchard. Its important to have those rest periods.(But) its hard for me to scale down tournaments because I love playing and Im so competitive.Bouchard, who earned US$3.22 million in prize money in 2014, pointed to that competitive spirit as one of her key attributes.I put a lot of pressure on myself because I have high expectations, said Bouchard. I just always want to try and be the best I can be at everything I do, whether its tennis or a board game with my family.Bouchard defeated Karolina Pliskova in Nurnberg, Germany, in May for her first career WTA title, but she stumbled a bit after Wimbledon, including a loss in her opening match of the Rogers Cup in Montreal.It just showed me how much I can still improve, Bouchard said of the second half of her season. I feel like Ive raised my level so much this year, but I feel like I can still do so much better.Bouchard just got back training a few days ago and will play one tournament in the new year before the Australian Open in January.While many people were caught off guard by her success, Bouchard said she expected nothing less.Tennis is something Ive been doing since I was five years old and Ive had dreams of winning Grand Slams since I was very young, she said. Ive put in 15 years of hard work (and) Ive always believed in myself. Great results are great, but to me theyre no surprise.This year has definitely been a good step forward for me in my journey. Will Compton Titans Jersey . -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder. Harold Landry Jersey . If one fighter gases, he usually gets beat up pretty bad from that point on. http://www.authenticshoptitans.com/bennie-logan-jersey/ . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. Rashaan Evans Titans Jersey . Carreno Busta broke his opponent five times in the match, but also lost his serve three times in the second set before prevailing in the tiebreaker. Both players struggled with their first serve, as Carreno Busta landed just 51 per cent of his to 47 per cent for Kukushkin. Malcolm Butler Titans Jersey . -- Conner Bleackley got it done in regulation time and in the shootout.MONTREAL -- It wont take long for Thomas Vanek to get his first taste of the heated Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins rivalry. The 30-year-old acquired by Montreal at last weeks NHL trade deadline will play his first home game at the Bell Centre against the Bruins on Wednesday night. "Rivalries are for the fans," Vanek said Tuesday. "Theyre good for the league, but for us in here, and Im sure its the same as everywhere. Its just about winning the two points. "But Im sure the atmosphere will be great and I cant wait to experience it." Vanek has a reputation as a Bruins killer, with 61 points in 53 career games against Boston. So the acquisition of the high-scoring forward by Montreal gave an added jolt to the rivalry. But the Austrian winger said there are no secrets about how to score on the Bruins. "Numbers are numbers," he said. "Sometimes theyre overblown. "I dont prepare any different. Its just another game, really. Theyre a good team and youve got to be ready. The last four or five years, Boston has been one of the better teams in the league and you want to play your best against the best teams." The Canadiens are 2-0-0 against Boston this season and have won their last five meetings. But the Bruins (42-17-5) hold a comfortable 12-point lead over Montreal (35-24-7) in the Atlantic Division standings. Vanek was acquired while the Canadiens were on a four-game west coast road trip. So he didnt get in a full practice with his new team until it returned to Montreal. He was held without a point in his first two games with Montreal while playing on the second line with centre Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta. Some feel he would do better on a more attack-oriented unit, as Plekanec is considered the clubs top defensive centre even if he can also contribute offensively. "Weve got to be good in our own zone and Plekanec is very good in all zones," said Vanek. "He can make plays. Hes greaat in faceoffs, great defensively, but at the same time, were expected to produce.dddddddddddd "At least thats what Im expecting of myself." Coach Michel Therrien plans to keep the line together, at least for now. "It takes time for players to adapt to new teammates," said Therrien. "I want to be patient. I think that combination can work." Tuesdays session, which lasted more than an hour at the Bell Centre, saw goalie Carey Price take part in a full practice for the first time since leading Canada to gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Price aggravated a suspected groin injury in his first practice after the Sochi Games. Therrien said Price wont dress for the Boston game but will be re-evaluated at the end of the week. That opens the possibility of playing Saturday at home against Ottawa. Therrien also said Francis Bouillon, who has sat out the last seven games, will play. Montreal is hurting on defence with veteran Josh Gorges out at least four weeks with a fractured left hand. Gorges was hurt while blocking a shot during a 4-3 win over Toronto on March 1. He played the first two games of Montreals road trip but then was sent home to have his hand re-examined. Gorges said the original fracture was considered stable, so he could continue playing. But something happened during a win in Anaheim that made it unstable. "At that point, they felt it was best to get it fixed," he said. "Potentially, it might not have been able to heal at all so they decided to have it fixed now and have me back ready by the end of the year." He said playing through the injury was difficult, but possible. "I was able to do what I needed to contribute," he said. "Certain aspects were tough. "Grabbing my stick. Grabbing the puck if I needed to clear it on the penalty kill. 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