Eugenie Bouchard says the fresh challenge of competing at the Olympic Games has inspired her to enjoy her tennis more in 2017.

The Canadian burst onto the scene in 2014, reaching two grand slam semi-finals and the Wimbledon final. However, she could not back that up in 2015, losing form before suffering concussion after a fall at the US Open, which also hampered the beginning of this season.

Having reached WTA Tour finals in Hobart and Kuala Lumpur, Bouchard's form again tailed off towards the back end of the season, losing six of her final eight matches of the year.

Before that, Bouchard got to the second round of Rio 2016, where she lost to Angelique Kerber.

The experience is one that will live with Bouchard forever, but she is determined to be left smiling more in 2017.

"2016 has definitely been an up and down year for me. I'm definitely not satisfied with how it all went," Bouchard told Omnisport, courtesy of Colgate Enamel Health.

"I was grateful to start the year out on Tour after an injury at the end of last year, so that part made me really happy.

"Obviously experiencing the Olympics this year probably has to be the highlight just because it only comes around every four years and having that feeling of pride for my country and camaraderie with all my team-mates is something we don't experience in tennis too often. So it was a really special week.

"2017, I want it to be a good year. I'm going to work as hard as I can and also appreciate and enjoy every single moment. 

"A lot of times I've felt, in the last couple of years, that things go by so quickly and you don't really know what's going on in a way.

"I always now just want to tell myself to take a moment. And when you're in these amazing moments just try and really soak it in as much as I can because it goes by so quickly."

Mental fortitude is clearly high on Bouchard's agenda, as she outlined the brain training she will often put herself through in order to be at her best.

"Before a match I take a moment to myself and mediate or visualise a little bit of how I want to play in my match," she explained.

"I feel like that helps me really get my concentration [up}, to be able to perform at my best and give everything I have on the court."