Tennis star Eugenie Bouchard picks Justin Bieber as dating material

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada reacts to a question from with television reporter Sam Smith during a post match interview following her quarterfinal win over Ana Ivanovic of Serbia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

The Canadian Press

MELBOURNE, Australia - Tennis is no problem but an on on-court interviewer flustered Eugenie Bouchard at the Australian Open when she asked who the young Canadian might date, if she had the world to pick from, and she blurted out the name of fellow Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.

“You’re getting a lot of fans here and a lot of them are male and they want to know if you could pick anyone in the world of sport, of movies, I’m sorry they asked me to say this, who would you date,” the interviewer said Tuesday.

Bouchard paused, looked aside, laughed and covered her face, before saying “Justin Bieber?”

Her all-male fan club at the open could be seen in the stands shaking their heads and waving off her choice. The young men in red and white T-shirts billed as “Genie Army” sing to her and throw stuffed animals after each match.

“Justin, if you’re watching … um, hey,” Bouchard said with a smile as she waved to the camera.

Bouchard, 19, next plays fourth-seeded Li Na on Thursday for a chance to reach the final after becoming the first Canadian to make the semifinals of the Australian Open when she beat Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.