'It really sucks': Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard battles Zika fear over Olympic Games choice
World number 41 remains undecided about playing in Rio due to the threat posed by the virus which has already forced numerous stars across several sports to pull out
Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard remains undecided about playing in the Olympic Games barely two weeks before the start with Zika virus fears stealing the joy from what would be her first appearance at the event.
“I don’t know what I’ll do at this point,” she said after a first round loss at the WTA and ATP Washington Open. “I’ll make the decision next week I guess.”
The mosquito-transmitted Zika virus causes severe illness and has been linked to birth defects, a factor causing the 22-year-old the greatest concern.
“I don’t know if the health of my future babies is worth it,” Bouchard said. “That’s what I’m trying to decide in my head.”
The world’s four top men’s golfers, paced by Australian Jason Day, have withdrawn from Rio and several top tennis players have followed, including Romanian world number five Simona Halep, Czech Tomas Berdych and Bouchard’s compatriot Milos Raonic, fresh from his Wimbledon runner-up effort.