The Canadians saved their greatest for (nearly) final in 2024.
Final week, 5 totally different Canadians lifted trophies on the ATP, WTA, and ITF Excursions. That included a historic victory on the WTA Finals, a career-best outcome for a veteran, and a long-awaited triumph for one in all Canada’s greatest names.
There’s a lot to have a good time this week on this planet of Canadian tennis. Right here’s what it’s essential to know.
Below the Radar: Extra Milestones for Marino
2024 has been stuffed with career-best outcomes for Rebecca Marino however she saved her greatest for final by claiming her first WTA 125 title final week in Midland, Michigan.
Again in February, Marino gained her first ITF W100 title in Guanajuato, which was the most important win of her profession on the time. She matched it with one other W100 in Ilkley on grass in June. Her victory final month in Calgary on the W75 occasion was greater than any title she had gained previous to 2024. However she blew all three out of the water final week by choosing up her first title at a WTA-sanctioned occasion.
Seeded sixth in Midland, Marino needed to survive a good second-round encounter with Louisa Chirico, escaping by taking the third-set tiebreak 9-7. That proved to be the hardest take a look at of the entire event for the 33-year-old as she didn’t drop one other set on her solution to the title. Within the remaining, she blew out third seed Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-1 to assert the most important title of her profession.
Learn additionally: Revisiting Rafael Nadal’s 5 Titles on the Nationwide Financial institution Open
Marino will now head to Malaga for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals having gained 18 of her final 20 matches. Her 4 titles in 2024 are her second-most in a season, having gained 5 in 2018. Nevertheless, the most important of these titles was a pair of W25 occasions whereas her lowest title this 12 months was a W75.
Canada almost swept the titles in Michigan as Ariana Arseneault and Mia Kupres reached the doubles remaining, the most important of their profession up to now, however misplaced to the second seeds Emily Appleton and Maia Lumsden 10-5 within the match tiebreak within the remaining. The Canadians had upset the highest seeds within the second spherical.
On house soil on the ITF M25 occasion in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec, Canada was assured a title heading into Sunday as Liam Draxl took on Alexis Galarneau within the remaining. Draxl emerged victorious, claiming his second title of the season.
Click on right here to learn the total Saint-Augustin recap.
Kayla Cross joined the Canadian winners parade, choosing up her sixth ITF doubles title of the 12 months on the M35 occasion in Miami with American Anna Rogers. The pair have been the highest seeds and dropped only one set on their solution to the title, capping it off with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Aya El Aouni of Morocco and Olivia Lincer of Poland within the remaining.
This week, Canada performs host to its remaining skilled occasion on the 2024 calendar, the ATP Challenger Banque Nationale de Drummondville.
Click on right here to succeed in the Drummondville preview.
Canada’s juniors are additionally in motion this week on the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors Finals in Turkey. Click on right here to be taught extra.
In Case You Missed: Dabrowski Makes Historical past, Shapo Ends Drought
Gabriela Dabrowski has lengthy been a trailblazer for Canadian tennis gamers. On high of being the primary Canadian lady to win a doubles Grand Slam title and an Olympic medal, she added being the primary Canadian to win the title on the WTA Finals final weekend.
She and Erin Routliffe tore by way of the attract Riyadh, successful the White Group with an ideal 3-0 report, beating 2023 runners-up Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez within the semis, and avenging their Wimbledon loss to Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend within the remaining to assert the trophy.
No Canadian had ever a lot as reached the ultimate of the ladies’s year-end championship previous to Dabrowski this 12 months.
Simply a few hours later, Denis Shapovalov picked up a long-overdue second profession ATP Tour title, successful the Belgrade Open with a straight-set victory over Hamad Medjedovic.
Shapovalov wanted seven wins to get his arms on the trophy, having come by way of qualifying. However he regarded way more like his former Prime 10 self, dropping only one set (in a tiebreak) in these seven matches and dropping serve simply as soon as in your entire primary draw.
The victory snaps a five-year title drought for the 25-year-old. After successful his maiden title in Stockholm in 2019, Shapovalov misplaced his subsequent 5 finals in a row. His final remaining previous to Belgrade was in October 2022.
What to Watch: Billie Jean King Cup Title Defence Begins
With the WTA Finals wrapping up on Saturday, the WTA Tour season has formally come to an finish. The ATP Tour will observe go well with as this week’s ATP Finals is the final occasion on the ATP calendar and doesn’t function any Canadians.
Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless a pair of huge trophies left that Canadians have their eye on.
Canada’s bid for the primary begins this week because the Billie Jean King Cup Finals will get underway in Malaga, Spain. Leylah Annie Fernandez, Rebecca Marino, Gabriela Dabrowski, and Marina Stakusic are all returning to defend the title.
Click on right here to be taught extra about Group Canada.
Because the No. 1 crew within the Billie Jean King Cup rankings, Canada has a bye on to the quarter-finals. They may face both Nice Britain or Germany on Sunday.
Click on right here for all the pieces it’s essential to know concerning the 2024 World Cup of Tennis.
You may observe the Canadians in motion each week right here.
