By Chris Oddo | Thursday June 30, 2016

Centre Court, Wimbledon. Nothing like it. Ask Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard and you’ll get no argument with that statement. The World No.48 was back on the sport’s most ancient and famous court for the first time since dropping a one-sided Wimbledon final to Petra Kvitova, and all reports were positive from the 22-year-old.

More: Centre Of the Tennis Universe

Bouchard eased past a tricky first-round opponent, Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-3, 6-4, to book a Thursday clash with Great Britain’s Johanna Konta. The good news for Bouchard? She’ll be back on Centre Court against the British No.1 on Thursday night.

She was asked in press by WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen if returning to Centre Court was surreal at all late on Wednesday night in a small interview room packed with reporters.

“That is exactly the word I was thinking when I got off the court,” Bouchard said. “Wow, that's surreal. You know, the same lady that walked me out for the final two years ago walked us out, and after the match we talked about those memories, as well, because that is my first time since the final.”

Bouchard says it’s a special occasion for her to be on Centre Court, no matter the round. “When I walked out, I kind of had a vision of the final with the full crowd and everything,” she said. “Yeah, amazing memories. Every time I go out there, it's an honor.”

Bouchard’s match originally started on another court, but was moved to Centre Court in the second set, long after rain had shut down the outside courts.

The Canadian warded off four break points in the final game to close out her 23rd win of the season against 12 losses. It’s a quite significant upgrade over 2015, a campaign that saw her struggle with form and succumb to injuries. She went 12-18 and that included a straight-sets first-round loss at Wimbledon to World No.117 Duan Ying Ying.

“I know even if I was a bit nervous I could get myself together and focus and still deliver when it mattered most,” Bouchard said of her break point saves in the final game.

Notes, Quotes

After the match Bouchard had a warm handshake with Rybarikova. In press she was asked if she had changed her feeling towards her peers with regard to friendships. “Well, you know, what I said [a few years ago] was I wouldn't consider anyone, you know, a best friend, a great friend, because it would be hard for me to have to compete against someone like that in a, you know, huge match, huge moment with so much on the line,” Bouchard said to clarify her comments of a few years ago, when she said that she didn’t think the tennis tour was the place to have friends. “But I have always been, since I was in the juniors and on the professional tour, very friendly with my co workers, I guess I can call them. So that's been the same ever since. Maybe as the years go on and you know them a little bit better, you are a little bit more friendly. But, I mean, I have always I have always been nice to everyone.”

When asked if her comments were blown out of proportion at the time, she said. “Of course. Everything you guys do is blown out of proportion.”