World No. 7 Genie Bouchard has yet to decide whether she will play Fed Cup next week, leaving Canada to name only three players to its team, instead of the usual four. Canada can wait until next Friday to add another player to the team.
On Wednesday, all other World Group teams listed four players, including the Czech Republic, which plays Canada. Currently, Canada has selected Sharon Fichman, Gabriela Dabrowski, and Francoise Abanda to play, none of who are ranked above No. 130. Karolina Pliskova, ranked No. 20, will head to Quebec City for the tie, but not world No. 4 Petra Kvitova.
On Tuesday, Bouchard said she wasn’t sure whether she would go to the tie. "Well, I don't know if I'm playing or not," Bouchard told press, and looked at her agent. "Am I playing, Jill [Smoller]? Well, I'm going to go visit the family, that's for sure. Take some time off, rest the body a bit.
"I was going to decide after the tournament. You know, my tournament ended like half an hour ago, so I'm still going to talk to my team and make the best decision for me if I can play or not."
Tennis Canada CEO Kelly Murumets told the *Toronto Star*: "I’m not sure she’s hesitating, really and truly. I think she’s trying to come off the Melbourne disappointment.
"While I’m wildly proud of Eugenie, I believe she just needs some time. I think she feels like she could have taken Maria Sharapova—and she could have, by the way. So she’s just taking some time. She’ll get back to us for sure, and I’m not sure I’d call that hesitating."