Once again, the Canadian Fed Cup team leaves a spot available for Eugenie Bouchard
Top Canadian Genie Bouchard must play one more Fed Cup tie in the next year to be eligible to represent her country at the Summer Olympics in Rio.
When that might occur is the question of the season. But it appears it won't be next week against Romania at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal.
Just as he did in February for the World Group I first-round playoff tie against the Czech Republic in Quebec City, Fed Cup captain Sylvain Bruneau is leaving a spot open for the world No. 7 - just in case – as the player nominations for the April 18-19 playoff tie against Romania were announced Wednesday.
For the moment, the three nominated players are the same as the last tie – Sharon Fichman, 18-year-old Françoise Abanda and doubles specialist Gabriela Dabrowski. We're told Team Bouchard has advised Tennis Canada she won't play but that the powers-that-be – understandably – are hoping they can somehow change her mind.
At this point, it reminds us of the story of former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville leaving tickets for Elvis at the will-call. Highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
Bouchard will take the court later Wednesday afternoon to play her first match on clay at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston. The week after Fed Cup, she is entered in a big tournament in Stuttgart, Germany that will feature most of the top 10-ranked players.
The Romanians will be without world No. 3 Simona Halep, who begged off after a grueling run through the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in the U.S. this month. They also will be without Monica Niculescu, their No. 3-ranked singles player and a good doubles player. Still, they will be the overwhelming favourites as they nominated Irina-Camelia Begu (ranked No. 36), Alexandra Dulgheru, Andreea Mitu (who has posted two good wins in Charleston this week) and doubles specialist Raluca Olaru.
Dulgheru was playing her best tennis four years ago when she reached a career-high No. 26. But the last four years have been an injury nightmare – back, wrist and, most particularly, a bilateral knee injury. But she's back up to No. 68 as of this week and is a solid No. 2 singles player.
If Bouchard doesn't join the squad, the search for a fourth Canadian player could be expansive.
Quebec's Charlotte Robillard-Millette, who was part of the team in Quebec City for the first time, is playing a big Grade 1 junior event in Spain this week in both singles and doubles, outdoors on red clay. She is entered in another event in France next week.
Aleksandra Wozniak, a Fed Cup stalwart who bleeds red and white, is just now starting to get back on court after having shoulder surgery last fall. If she could play – even with her left arm – she probably would. But it's far too soon.
Veteran Heidi el Tabakh? You'd think Tennis Canada lost her number a long time ago, because even when she was playing well a few years ago she never appeared to get much consideration. But el Tabakh has struggled with injuries the last few years, and indeed hasn't stepped on the match court since retiring in her second-round match at a tournament in Toronto last October. Despite that, we're told she still received a call inquiring about the Quebec City tie, which she declined.
Carol Zhao, another former top junior, is studying at Stanford and is probably in the middle of finals.
Marie-Eve Pelletier, long a Fed Cup staple? Well, she's retired, and expecting her first child pretty soon. So that's probably off the table. Probably.
Of more immediate concern for the Canadian team is the health and form of the players it does have, especially as they try to sell tickets for a large venue in Montreal no doubt booked in the hope that Bouchard would participate.
None is in particularly great form, and none of them have played much singles in the last two months. In Fichman's case, she's been off the court since losing in the first round of qualifying at the Australian Open in January.
Given all that, the Canadians will have a challenging weekend on their hands.
