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Eugenie Bouchard will not be part of Canada's Fed Cup squad for the Quebec City tie against Belarus

Canada's Eugenie Bouchard (R) celebrates with her teammates Sharon Fichman (L), Aleksandra Wozniak (2nd L) and Gabriela Dabrowski (2nd R) after defeating Slovakia's Jana Cepelova during their Fed Cup tennis match at the PEPS stadium at Laval University in Quebec City, April 20, 2014. REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger (CANADA - Tags: SPORT TENNIS) (Reuters)

MELBOURNE, Australia – After Canadian star Genie Bouchard lost her second-round match at the Australian Open, she said she was open to the idea of playing Fed Cup Feb. 6-7 in Quebec City, a first-round, World Group II tie against Belarus.

The 21-year-old Canadian has already met the qualifying criteria for the Rio Olympics this summer, so she didn't need to play. But she needs matches as her comeback continues, and the two singles matches she would be scheduled to play would be a good opportunity. As well, her planned tournament schedule for the next month seemed to work out in terms of fitting it in.

But she had yet to talk to coach Thomas Hogstedt and her support team about it.

Genie debuts her new hairdo after an early exit at the Australia Open. (Photo credit: @geniebouchard/Instagram)
Genie debuts her new hairdo after an early exit at the Australia Open. (Photo credit: @geniebouchard/Instagram)

After Eh Game broke the news, Tennis Canada announced later Wednesday morning that Bouchard will not, in fact, be part of the four-woman squad that will take on a Belarus team will have former No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka on it.

The four Canadian players will be Aleksandra Wozniak, Françoise Abanda, Carol Zhao and doubles specialist Gabriela Dabrowski.

For Belarus, it will be Azarenka, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Olga Govortsova and junior Vera Lapko.

“We are aware that we are facing a very dangerous team. They have an elite player in Victoria Azarenka, and they also have depth. Our team is composed of both young and experienced players," was the official quote from Canadian Fed Cup captain Sylvain Bruneau. "We want to make sure to have a very good week of training in Quebec City and take advantage of playing at home. We will be ready for some big battles.”

Bouchard will skip the tie; on the positive side, it’s not as last-minute a decision as it has been in previous years.

“Of course, we’re totally disappointed. We want to put a winning team out on the court and she’s key to that concept. But I get it,” Tennis Canada CEO Kelly Murumets told Eh Game in Melbourne, where she has been supporting the Canadian players all week.

“I actually think Genie would like to play. I believe she is completely sincere, and would love to play for Canada. She wants to win, and she and (Fed Cup captain) Sylvain (Bruneau) have a very special relationship. But I trust Thomas Hogstedt. He totally believes in her.

“I trust that Thomas and Genie together made the right decision as it relates to her career," she added.

Victoria Azarenka (forground) of Belarus poses with her team mates Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Vera Lapko, Olga Govortsova and captain Tatiana Poutchek (background L-R) after they defeated Japan during their Fed Cup World Group II play-off tennis games in Tokyo April 19, 2015.  REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Victoria Azarenka (forground) of Belarus poses with her team mates Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Vera Lapko, Olga Govortsova and captain Tatiana Poutchek (background L-R) after they defeated Japan during their Fed Cup World Group II play-off tennis games in Tokyo April 19, 2015. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Wozniak, who is coming back from a long absence due to shoulder surgery, has been a longtime Fed Cup stalwart and will lead the team. Bianca Andreescu, who was the No. 1 seed in the junior event at the Australian Open this week, might well have made the squad but for injury.

The 15-year-old withdrew from the Australian Open junior event Wednesday with a stress fracture in the fourth metatarsal of her right foot.

Without Bouchard, the organizers in Quebec City will have a challenge on their hands – again – to attract a good crowd to support the Canadian team.

“We put the minimum in our budget for 2016, because we weren’t sure if she would play. I always deal with budgets from a conservative perspective,” Murumets said. “For sure we sell more tickets if Genie plays, no question, but we put in the budget that she wouldn’t play.

“There’s some magic around Davis Cup and Fed Cups. In my nearly two years with Tennis Canada, I’ve gotten to experience it. Our marketing team is working with local folks in Quebec to figure out how best to bring some excitement to the tie, and be sure we provide great entertainment, because that’s truly the business we’re in: we’re an entertainment business,” she added. “So we’re pulling out all the stops, and it will be what it will be. We want it to be a full house."

Murumets said that the participation of Azarenka would help attract fans. “And then, I think it’s going to be a good opportunity for our team to see what they can do and pull it out,” she said.

The tickets start at just $15 a day for the two-day tie ($9 for students).

Beyond Azarenka (who said she “hadn’t decided yet” when asked by Eh Game about her participation after her loss to Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals here Wednesday) isn't a powerhouse. But they do have solid players including 27-year-old Govortsova, who is No. 71 in the WTA Tour rankings. Govortsova lost in the first round of the Australian Open singles to Tatjana Maria of Germany.

Sasnovitch, ranked No. 105, is a month younger than Bouchard at 21. Lapko is still a junior; she and Canadian Katherine Sebov teamed up for the junior girls' doubles here.