Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard is content to let her tennis do the talking at the Australian Open after being drawn into a sexism row.
An international storm of controversy erupted after a male reporter asked her to do a twirl to show off her outfit following her second-round victory, but an unfazed Bouchard can still see the lighter side of the situation.
“Personally I’m not offended,” Bouchard said after defeating Caroline Garcia to advance to the fourth round.
“”No, I think it was an in-the-moment thing and it was funny.
“But, yeah, I mean, it’s just funny how it’s taken a life of its own. I’m just going to try to focus on my tennis.
World No.1 Serena Williams said it wouldn’t be okay for Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal to be asked to do a twirl on court.
But Bouchard suggested, tongue in cheek, that it would be fine for female tennis players to be subjected to such requests as long as the men were too.
“I’m fine with being asked to twirl if they ask the guys to flex their muscles and stuff,” said the Wimbledon runner-up.
It’s not the first time Bouchard has been on the end of a bizarre line of questioning.
She was asked who her ideal date would be at last year’s Australian Open, to which she replied ‘Justin Bieber’.
“They try to ask funny questions,” Bouchard said.
“It’s entertaining, I guess. I don’t mind it. People can think what they want about it.
“But I just answer how I want and do what I want.”
The 20-year-old will face unseeded Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu next round as she looks to back up her run to last year’s semi-finals.
Gremlins
Guest
Brings a whole new meaning to having one's knickers in a twist. Just make sure Rafa has got rid of his signature wedgie before asking him to do a twirl.
Johnno
Guest
You know Genie Bouchard is loving this. She's loving the publicity and the prospect of a larger endorsement deal, as she's just signed now with IMG, and is looking for new endorsements. She does;t hide the fact she's ambitious, and wants to make a lot of money, and is very much a glamourous woman and into fashion, and dresses sexy look at here twitter and instagram account. She is beautiful and appeals to a male audience like Anna Kournakova did, all this air time will help her get endorsement deals and sponsors, and sponsors will see the hype she generates. Genia Bouchard hardly dresses on the court wimbledon style 12-months a year, and off the court she dresses very glamourously and sexy. She is ambitious and good luck to her, i reckon she is liking the hype, a lot off free publicity she has been given to advertise herself to potential sponsors. If tennis players have such high values, or so-called high values it's about time they dress wimbledon style 12 months a year to earn such esteemed respect. Lindsay Davenport always dressed quite plain as did Aranxa Sanchez, and they never got endorsement deals. Where as Mary Pierce and Kournikova did, and now it seems Genie Bouchard. If you don't any hype dress and act boring, and what do you know know sponsors or money $ will come your way, if that's what you want no money $.