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MONTREAL -- Theyve composed chants just for Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, roared for her until they went hoarse, and toasted her wins by fudging their way through "O Canada. Custom Mets Jersey ." Meet the "Genie Army" -- a dozen boisterous Aussies who, despite boasting zero connection to Canada, have become Bouchards unofficial cheerleaders at the Australian Open. Members of the weeks-old squad have jumped, danced and serenaded their way into an unmistakable grandstand presence during the Montreal teens impressive run at the event, where she has earned a semifinal spot Thursday. The devotees, mostly men in their 20s, have also fashioned red-and-white T-shirts that spell out Bouchards name, flapped banners for her during matches, and lobbed plush animals -- each of them native to Australia -- to her on the court following each of her victories. Though they have had little face-to-face interaction with Bouchard, they have certainly commanded her attention in Melbourne. "The crowd here has been amazing, especially the Genie Army," Bouchard, 19, said Tuesday during an on-court interview after beating Ana Ivanovic. She then pointed up to her noisy, personal cheering section. "Ive had so much fun. Thank you guys." The inspiration behind a brigade dedicated to Bouchard came after a bunch of Australian buddies watched her upset Ivanovic last year at Wimbledon, said one of the Army members. In December, as the Australian Open approached, Jacob Wright said the crew decided to become her own booster club, so they started making shirts and penning Bouchard chants. The Genie Army was born. "Shes just a great tennis player," Wright, 20, told The Canadian Press in a Skype interview from Melbourne. "Obviously, shes a good-looking girl as well, and were young guys, but she is a really good tennis player. Its really, really good fun to watch." Their movement has had nothing to do with patriotism, either. When asked whether any of them had a connection to Canada, he replied: "None of us." Wright said they caught Bouchards attention during her first-round match, which was held on a more-intimate court that brings fans closer to the players. Six of them showed up for the event and were lucky enough to have their photos taken with Bouchard, get her autograph, and exchange a few words with their favourite player after the victory. The Genie Army nation was thrilled, Wright added, when Bouchard later told an interviewer she hoped they would show up for her next match. They havent missed one since -- and their ranks have doubled to about 12. Wright said it has been a bit of a give-and-take relationship, with Bouchard thanking her believers in interviews and by making gestures, such as posting a couple of photos of them on her Twitter feed. The connection likely hit its only bumpy patch on Tuesday when she was asked in a post-match interview about who she would like to date, if she could choose anyone in the world. An embarrassed Bouchard, who appeared to be taken off guard by the question, blurted out the name of Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. In TV footage, members of the Genie Army were shown waving off her choice. They remain committed, however, to backing Bouchard for the long haul, even if they initially didnt expect it to last. Wright admitted they never predicted Bouchard, the tournaments 30th seed, would advance to the semifinal, but theyve enjoyed the longer-than-expected ride. Bouchard, in fact, became the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in 30 years. "My voice doesnt usually sound like this, Im pretty husky from a week of just full-on yelling as loud as I can," said Wright, who was wearing a white T-shirt with a red Maple Leaf and a Bouchard autograph. "But yeah, weve just been yelling, chanting -- and overall the response from the crowds been really good." He said group members have also been surprised by the notoriety theyve amassed throughout the tournament, growing so big that they have been interviewed by media outlets and have frequently been asked to pose for photos with other fans. "Well be standing there for 20 minutes or something (after matches)," said Wright, whose group has an online presence on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, where .GenieArmy was trending after Tuesdays win. "Its getting really full of fun." But their primary mission has not changed since Day 1: support Bouchard. During her matches, the crew can be heard belting out custom chants from the bleachers, including a fight song usually reserved for when she first steps onto the hardcourt. "We are the Army, the Genie Army, and we are mental, and we are mad," a clapping Wright chanted as he began a demonstration of the mantra. The gang has even sung the Canadian national anthem, though Wright admits only a couple of them know the words. The first time they attempted "O Canada," he said they received some welcome help from Canadian fans in the crowd. "We started it off, but then we had a lot of Canadians around us, so they sort of finished it off for us," Wright said. "It wasnt a very good rendition." Tom Seaver Jersey . Bergmann, who came ninth in Bad Gastein a year ago for his only previous top-10 result, defeated Andreas Prommegger of Austria in the final of the single-run format. Aaron March of Italy finished third by beating Sebastian Kislinger of Austria. Keith Hernandez Authentic Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.Bell Media and the Ottawa Senators announced Wednesday that they have reached a comprehensive new 12-year regional broadcast rights and corporate sponsorship agreement that will make TSN and RDS the official broadcasters of the Ottawa Senators through to the 2025-2026 season. Bell Medias 12-year partnership with the Ottawa Senators includes five major components: - English-language regional television broadcast rights for TSN – a minimum of 52 regular season and pre-season games - French-language regional television broadcast rights for RDS – a minimum of 40 regular season and pre-season games - English-language broadcast rights for TSN Radio 1200 – all games - French-language radio broadcast rights – all games - Telecommunications and retail sponsorship and activation rights "We recognized early on that our regional broadcast rights coming up for renewal was a very important asset," said Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. "This new 12-year agreement with Bell Media represents one of the most wide-ranging and comprehensive deals in NHL history. "A long-term deal was personally important as it will allow us to work very closely with the Bell family to continually integrate emerging and evolving technologies so our fans receive a superior product for our regional television and radio broadcasts. This agreement is significant for the Senators, our fans and the future of our franchise." Beginning next season, the agreement will see TSN and RDS each broadcast its slate of regular season and pre-season games in the Ottawa Senators designated broadcast region, which spans Eastern and Northern Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and Newfoundland. The new agreement also grants full radio broadcast rights to TSN Radio 1200 in Ottawa, continuing to make it the official English radio voice of the Ottawa Senators over the next 12 years. Details on the Frrench-language radio broadcasts will be announced in the coming weeks. Lucas Duda Authentic Jersey. "This comprehensive partnership marks an exciting new chapter for the Ottawa Senators and all of their fans, as well as TSN, RDS, and Bell," said Kevin Crull, President of Bell Media. "Leveraging the strength of world-class hockey production at TSN and RDS, as well as Bells extensive assets and reach, we are eager to amplify Ottawa Senators regional coverage to a whole new level." Additionally, the Senators and Bell are strengthening their exclusive corporate telecommunications sponsorship over the long-term. It includes a broad variety of activations on all levels, including community engagement, in-arena promotions and branding, and retail support through The Source. Bell, an original partner of the Ottawa Senators, has a relationship with the team that dates back 22 seasons to when the team returned to the NHL – marking Bells longest relationship with an NHL franchise. This partnership will also continue to invest in the community. Bell will remain the official sponsor of the Senators official practice arena, the Bell Sensplex, and the Bell Capital Cup, one of the worlds largest minor hockey tournaments. The agreement features a number of future programs to enhance the fan experience, both inside and outside of Canadian Tire Centre. Details on these initiatives will be announced at a later date. Along with being the official regional television broadcast rights holders for the Ottawa Senators, Bell Media also holds long-term broadcast rights for the Toronto Maple Leafs (TSN and TSN Radio 1050), Winnipeg Jets (TSN and TSN Radio 1290), Montreal Canadiens (RDS and TSN Radio 690), Vancouver Canucks (TEAM 1040), along with all Hockey Canada games including the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, IIHF Hockey Championship and the IIHF World Womens Hockey Championship. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
