Canadian Tennis Stars Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil and Rebecca Marino will headline the Everybody Can Play Gala on Oct. 11 on the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre (ATC). The Canadian tennis stars might be joined by former World No. 1 doubles participant and 12x Grand Slam doubles champion Daniel Nestor. Nestor, the Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger Match Ambassador, will play within the Professional-Am occasion on Oct. 12. He may also be joined by Raonic, Pospisil and Marino within the Professional-Am Occasion.
Everybody Can Play is the ATC’s new barrier-free program which raises funds to help inclusive and accessible tennis programming for brand new Canadians, under-represented households and youth. The inaugural gala will elevate funds to help households taking part in tennis within the upcoming yr and proceeds will profit the Centre’s companion companies to assist ship this programming throughout the Calgary group. The gala will characteristic a few of Calgary’s high cooks with leisure supplied by Cowboys Leisure Group. There may also be reside and silent auctions that includes high-value objects. The Exhibition and Gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 11.
“Being an immigrant who got here to Canada at three years outdated, however simply acquired into tennis at age 9, the sort of initiative would have helped my household immensely and I believe this initiative will assist many households down the street,” mentioned Milos Raonic, Canadian Tennis Participant. “I’m additionally excited to be there for the gala and Professional-Am and am extremely proud to be part of these occasions and help the initiative.”
Vote for Daniel Nestor to be Inducted into the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame.
Raonic is Canada’s highest-ranked singles participant of all time and was ranked as excessive as No. 3 on the planet in singles. A Wimbledon singles finalist in 2016, Raonic additionally made the semifinals of the Australian Open the identical yr. In his profession, Raonic has defeated the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. Raonic is a holder of eight profession titles on the ATP World Tour and was a 2024 Canadian Olympian.
“We’re delighted to have Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil, Rebecca Marino and Daniel Nestors at this yr’s inaugural Everybody Can Play Gala occasion,” mentioned Danny Da Costa, CEO, The OSTEN & VICTOR Tennis Centre and Match Director, Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger. “These 4 athletes are trailblazers for Canadian Tennis. Collectively, their contributions to Canadian Tennis have helped encourage Canada’s golden era to realize worldwide excellence.”
Becoming a member of Raonic within the tennis Exhibition and Professional-Am is Canadian Tennis star, Vasek Pospisil, who will return to the Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger for the fourth consecutive yr. Pospisil, who has been ranked as excessive as No. 25 on the planet in singles and No. 4 in doubles, was named Postmedia’s Male Athlete of the 12 months for 2019.
Pospisil has wins over High 20 gamers together with Daniil Medvedev, Andy Murray, Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Richard Gasquet. He has additionally been within the finals of three ATP Tour occasions, together with two ATP Tour 250 occasions in 2020 in Sofia and Montpellier, and an ATP Tour 500 occasion in Washington D.C. in 2014. Pospisil was a part of Canada’s Davis Cup-winning workforce in 2022. Pospisil may also compete within the Exhibition, Professional-Am and Challenger occasions.
Additionally competing in her maiden Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger is Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino. Marino, presently ranked No. 2 in Canada and No. 139 on the planet will compete within the Exhibition, Professional-Am and Challenger occasion.
In her profession, Marino has been ranked as excessive as No. 38 on the planet in singles on the WTA Tour, holds 15 ITF profession singles titles, and was a finalist of a WTA 250 occasion. She was a member of the 2023 Canada’s BJK Cup World Championship Group and in her profession has wins over High 10 gamers together with Venus Williams, Caroline Garcia and Madison Keys. In 2022, Marino reached the third spherical of the US Open singles occasion.
“I’m past excited to be part of the Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger and the Everybody Can Play Gala. The expansion {of professional} Tennis in Western Canada is of monumental significance to me and I can’t wait to step onto the court docket in Calgary”, mentioned Rebecca Marino.
The fifth version of the Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger will return to the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre from October 13 to twenty, 2024. Earlier this yr, the Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger gained the 2023 Canadian Sport Tourism Status Award for sponsorship initiative. The Canadian Sport Tourism Awards acknowledge Canada’s greatest nationwide and worldwide occasions.
The Challenger organizers are additionally thrilled to announce a number of new and returning initiatives happening at this yr’s occasion:
The Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger Core Buying Centre promotion introduced by Holt Renfrew will return from Sept. 30 to Oct. 9, 2024, from 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every day on the CORE Buying Centre. This free occasion offers Calgarians the chance to check out their tennis expertise, play with the professionals and win free tickets to this yr’s occasion. A full participant checklist might be introduced onsite Sept. 30 throughout a kick-off information convention at 10:30 a.m.
Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger Neighborhood Day is returning Oct.12 providng free admission to the match and Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger Professional-Am occasion.
This yr’s Calgary Nationwide Financial institution Challenger may also be reside streamed on the CBC Sports activities YouTube web page. The occasion may also be reside streamed on the ATP World Tour and Worldwide Tennis Federation web sites.
Tickets for The Challenger can be found right here.
Tickets for the EVERYONE CAN PLAY GALA consists of the exhibition match and gala. Acharitable tax receipt can be supplied. Tickets for the exhibition solely are additionally obtainable. To buy tickets, click on right here.
For extra details about the ATC, click on right here.
