Eugenie Bouchard's lawyer responded on Friday to critical comments made by a United States Tennis Association spokesperson in regards to her ongoing lawsuit against the federation ahead of next week's US Open.

A spokesperson for the USTA told Sports Business Journal's Daniel Kaplan that the 22-year-old Bouchard was "not playing to her best ability" because of her focus on the litigation.

"As you probably know, her lawyers asked for an extension; the USTA on the other hand, has remained ready, willing and able to bring the litigation to a conclusion as expeditiously as is possible whether through settlement discussions or a fully litigated process," the spokesperson told Kaplan, whilst noting that the federation would have no comment on the substance of the litigation. "We also continue to support Genie as best we can, including by giving her a wild card into the Western & Southern Open a few weeks ago. The litigation will have no impact on how Genie is treated at the US Open in any manner."

Bouchard filed suit last October against the USTA after incurring a concussion following a September 4th fall in a locker room during last year's tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York. After a mixed-doubles match, Bouchard alleges the fall was caused by “slippery, foreign and dangerous substance” on the floor there for cleaning purposes. The lawsuit states that if the facilities were still being cleaned, the room should have been cordoned off. Bouchard missed over three months of action with the injury.

In an email statement to TSN's Mark Masters, Bouchard's lawyer, Benedict Morelli, said the federation should back up its claims.

“The USTA should walk the walk, not just talk the talk," Morelli said in the statement. "If the USTA wants to actually support its player like they say, they should concede liability and take responsibility for the accident they caused. We gave the USTA’s lawyers the opportunity to do so but they refused.”

Currently ranked 42nd in the world, Bouchard is set to face Katerina Siniakova in the first round of the US Open. Bouchard and Siniakova, ranked 73rd in the world, have never previously met in competition.