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Watch: Genie Talks Zika Virus, Vika Pregnancy, Kanye vs. Taylor


Give Genie Bouchard credit. The former Wimbledon finalist can cover a lot of ground quickly.

Bouchard's court coverage and pop culture acumen were both put to the test in Washington, DC today.

Watch: Victoria Azarenka on Pregnancy

In a match of first-strike tennis, Camila Giorgi won 20 of 25 first-serve points defeating the fifth-seeded Bouchard, 7-5, 6-4 in her Citi Open opener.

In her post-match presser, Bouchard touched on wide-ranging array of subjects, including her indecision on competing in the Olympics, support she's received reuniting with coach Nick Saviano, tuning out media criticism, reaction to Victoria Azarenka's pregnancy and her allegiance in the ongoing media feud between rapper Kanye West and pop star Taylor Swift.

Canadian No. 1 Milos Raonic pulled out of the Rio Olympic Games last week citing concerns over the Zika virus. Simona Halep and Tomas Berdych both withdrew as well.

Bouchard says she is currently undecided and plans to "wake up and make a decision next Friday."

"I'm truly undecided. You see more and more people pulling out as the deadline gets closer," Bouchard said. "It's just unfortunate because it would be my first Games and to have a problem like this kind of dampening your excitement of potentially your first Olympic Games, it really sucks to be honest. It's something I haven't been thinking about so I'm just going to wake up and make a decision next Friday and that's it.

"Obviously some golfers pulled out as well, the most high profile ones. It's also surprising to me that more men have pulled out than women. So it just gets you thinking."

Since losing to Elina Svitolina in the Kuala Lumpur final, the 41st-ranked Canadian has posted an 11-11 record and failed to reach a quarterfinal. Bouchard said tuning out the media has helped her sustain confidence amid the peaks and valleys of the season.

"I think I was confused and was struggling a lot last year," Bouchard said. "It's been nice to kind of feel I have better guidance this time around, this year. That obviously helps and gives me more confidence. And just telling myself to not give a shit about what people think or say around me. My career is short, life is so short, so I don't want to waste time worried about what all you guys think."

One journalist's question prompted some giggles.

"Were you surprised Azarenka is pregnant and did you even know she had someone to be pregnant with?" a journalist inquired.

"Ah, I was surprised like I think most people were," Bouchard, who covered her face with her palm and turned her head in a failed attempt to suppress laughter, replied. "I don't really have anything else to say about it."

 

So lucky & honoured to visit the @whitehouse today! Entrance to the West Wing.

A photo posted by Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) on



The follow-up question put Bouchard in the pop-culture crosshairs: Team Taylor or Team Kanye and Kim?

"This is probably like the hardest question all day," Bouchard said. "I love Taylor Swift. And I went to her concert and like I love her songs and everything. But I feel like sometimes she portrays herself as the victim a lot. And she did this time around and you know she said that she wasn't aware of that specific line. Like that 'B-i-t-c-h' but she heard the other line about having sex. So I'm like really? What's the huge difference, you know what I mean?...

"I think she way over-reacted and just tried to get attention by saying she didn't approve of that. But it's the celeb world. It's just entertaining. It entertains me while I'm alone here in DC."

Watch Bouchard's full rally with the media offering some funny and strange exchanges as well as droll facial reactions in the video above.

Photo credit: Christopher Levy

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