'Are you serious': Eugenie Bouchard cops heat over 'social-distancing' photo

Eugenie Bouchard has taken social-distancing to the extreme, heading out to the Nevada desert in her downtime.

With the professional tennis tours on hold due to the coronavirus crisis, Bouchard has previously complained about being stuck in isolation with not much to do.

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So the Canadian tennis star decided to get some fresh air this week and headed out to Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas.

“Social distancing,” she wrote on social media alongside a photo of herself in the desert.

However the photo sparked some controversy, with some suggesting Bouchard should have been at home, while others felt she was mocking social-distancing measures.

“I hope a self-timer took it Genie,” one user commented.

Another said: “You’re supposed to stay at home.”

At the time of Bouchard’s trip Nevada had limited gatherings to less than 10 people, although members of the public could leave their homes as long as they obeyed social-distancing guidelines.

Bouchard inundated by fans after ‘boyfriend’ tweet

The Canadian tennis player sparked a fan frenzy recently when she tweeted: “Not complaining, but i feel like quarantine would be a lot more fun with a boyfriend.”

The tweet sparked a flood of replies from fans and admirers - a number of which can’t be published here.

“Not bragging but I have 12 toilet rolls in my bathroom,” one fan wrote.

Aussie star Nick Kyrgios even responded to say he was ‘creasing’ with laughter about Bouchard’s tweet.

She followed that up by saying: “My agent just informed me you guys are sending ‘dating resumes’ to the email in my bio YALL NEED TO STOP,” alongside some laughing emojis.

Fears for rest of 2020 tennis season

Tennis players could be hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis - particularly those without large sponsorship deals - as they earn their income from prize money.

But without any tennis being played for the next few months there’s no prize money to earn.

And tennis may not return until 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of the entire grasscourt season and most of the claycourt campaign.

The outbreak has played havoc with the global sporting calendar and the Wimbledon championships were cancelled on Wednesday for the first time since the second World War.

All England Lawn Tennis Club chief executive Richard Lewis said he hoped the situation will stabilise in the coming months to allow the hardcourt season to get underway before the US Open begins in August.

“The optimist in me – and I'm often not optimistic – still hopes that the American hardcourt season will take place,” Lewis said.

“One hopes that things have settled down a bit and those big 1000-point tournaments - Montreal, Toronto, Cincinnati - can happen in the lead-up to the US Open. We all know that's probably tenuous at the moment.

“I don't think it's unrealistic to say that there may be no more tennis this year. But let's hope that the US Open and Roland Garros can take place.”

with Reuters