[ad_1]
It’s been 728 days since we had reside skilled tennis at Canada’s dwelling tournaments.
After a two-year wait, world class tennis will return to Toronto and Montreal on the newly branded Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers.
Whereas strict COVID-19 protocols can be in place, 1000’s of followers are anticipated be available for each tournaments.
Listed here are some thrilling storylines to observe from the a hundred and fortieth version of the Nationwide Financial institution Open and Omnium Banque Nationale this week.
Bianca seeks a title defence in Montreal
Rather a lot can change in two years’ time.
In 2019, Mississauga native Bianca Andreescu produced the best singles season in Canadian tennis historical past.
She received her first premier necessary WTA title at Indian Wells in March, her dwelling match at Rogers Cup, after which grew to become the primary Grand Slam singles champion in Canadian tennis historical past when she captured the U.S. Open, defeating Serena Williams within the ultimate. She’d shut the season fourth on the planet.
For the reason that finish of that 12 months, it’s been a difficult run of bodily setbacks, together with a long-lasting knee damage, a foot challenge, and even a bout of coronavirus.
For all of the success that got here that season, Andreescu is raring to look ahead.
“2019, I wish to put that previously,” Andreescu stated in her pre-tournament press convention. “I used to be the up and comer. Now I’m seeded in tournaments. I’ve titles that I’ve received. I’m defending them now.”
She arrives on the grounds of Jarry Park in Montreal this 12 months with new coach Sven Groenefeld, who’s joined for a trial run.
Groenefeld, a former Dutch professional tennis participant, has an distinctive resume as a coach, working with quite a few Grand Slam champions together with Monica Seles, Caroline Wozniacki, and Maria Sharapova to call a number of.
Andreescu can be effectively rested, having final performed at Wimbledon in July.
She’s seeded second on the match and will doubtlessly face fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez in her opening match.
Who’s prepared for the @OBNmontreal ?!? pic.twitter.com/aXSjToTWWT
— Bianca (@Bandreescu_) August 6, 2021
Can Denis soar in Toronto?
Denis Shapovalov could have fond recollections of his first ATP occasion in Toronto.
As a wide-eyed 17-year-old, he was awarded a wild-card to the Rogers Cup in 2016 and surprised then-world No. 19 Nick Kyrgios in three units to choose up his first ever tour-level win.
A 12 months later, he wowed the crowds in Montreal, stunning Rafael Nadal en path to a shock semi-finals berth on the occasion.
Now in 2021, 22-year-old Shapovalov has staked himself as one of many ATP’s premiere threats, ranked tenth on the planet.
He’s additionally coming off his best-ever efficiency at a significant.
He superior to the semifinals of Wimbledon earlier than falling in a tightly contested three set loss to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
A backhand we will actually get used to watching#Wimbledon | @denis_shapo pic.twitter.com/DcH656XgG2
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2021
The efficiency on grass courts has Shapovalov hungry for extra.
“I really feel like I’m capable of compete with anybody”, Shapovalov stated in his pre-tournament press convention. “I really feel like I’m changing into a very huge menace.”
A giant summer time may very well be in retailer.
Nadal returns to his laborious courts of alternative
Rafael Nadal is definitely the best clay court docket participant to ever reside, notching a report 62 titles on the floor and an immense 14 French Open crowns.
Arduous-court success, although, has additionally been a standout function for the 20-time slam champion, the place he has amassed 22 ATP titles on the sooner floor.
His greatest hard-court match traditionally has been Canada.
Nadal arrives on the Nationwide Financial institution Open as a five-time winner and two-time defending champion, having hoisted titles in 2018 in Toronto and 2019 in Montreal.
Regardless of the previous success. there are query marks surrounding his well being and type.
Following a gruelling clay season and a semifinals loss to Novak Djokovic on the French Open, Nadal skipped each Wimbledon and the Olympics to relaxation his physique, and acknowledged he’s been coping with an ailing foot.
He fell within the spherical of 16 to South African Lloyd Harris final week on the Citi Open in Washington so continues to be looking for his peak sport.
He may very well be examined early right here, with a possible for a rematch with Harris in his opening match, and a piece of the draw that options lightning rod Nick Kyrgios, Spanish brick-wall Roberto Bautista Agut, and world no. 13 Diego Schwartzman.
Greek standout and French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas traces up as a possible semi-final.
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after successful the ultimate Godo tennis match in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 25, 2021. Nadal received by 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 (Joan Monfort/AP)
The summer time of Daniil?
Russian Daniil Medvedev kicks off his hard-court marketing campaign as the highest seed in Toronto and it’s effectively deserved. The world No. 2 has hoisted a pair of ATP titles this season and reached the finals in Australia to open the 12 months.
The summer time hard-court swing ought to result in fond recollections for Medvedev, who produced a sensational stretch of tennis in North America in 2019, with a run to 4 consecutive match finals.
He first misplaced to Kyrgios within the finals of Washington, then to Nadal in Montreal earlier than he captured his first profession Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati and, ultimately, reached his maiden Grand Slam ultimate on the U.S. Open.
Standing a lanky, rail-thin six-foot-six, Medvedev is without doubt one of the greatest lateral movers within the sport with a dynamic and inventive baseline sport.
He has a promising highway to the semifinals, the place he may lineup to face fellow Russian Andrey Rublev or Shapovalov.
WTA heavy hitters put together to make noise
A stacked discipline of girls’s gamers in Montreal this week are highlighted by a number of the heaviest, strongest ball strikers within the sport.
Look no additional than the highest seed: Aryna Sabalenka.
The Belarusian, fittingly nicknamed ‘the Tiger,’ has an depth and manner that may overwhelm most all opponents.
Sabalenka has been accumulating titles at a speedy tempo the previous few seasons, with eight WTA crowns since January of 2019.
She’s additionally coming off a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. (Rick Rycroft / AP)
World No. 5 Elina Svitolina made the journey over from Tokyo, after successful a bronze on the Olympics, and her all court docket sport fits the courts fantastically in Montreal. She received the Rogers Cup in 2017.
‘Ace Queen’ Karolina Pliskova holds the fourth seed at Omnium Banque Nationale and, after comparatively quiet outcomes earlier within the season, she stormed to the Wimbledon ultimate earlier than dropping to world No. 1 Ash Barty.
Her serve-plus-forehand combo is without doubt one of the deadliest within the sport.
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza is seeded fifth within the discipline, a two-time Grand Slam champion, and is 30-11 on the season.
One other two-time Slam winner may even make her return to Montreal, as fan favorite Simona Halep competes within the discipline.
Halep has received two titles in Canada (2016 and 2018) – and he or she’s returning to competitors following a prolonged calf damage that saved her out of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Different Canadians to keep watch over
Felix Auger-Aliassime is seeded ninth within the discipline, and simply celebrated his twenty first birthday. The younger expertise possesses some of the bodily video games on tour with elite motion and ball putting.
Final month he reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the primary time in his profession. He’ll get a primary spherical bye right here.
Veteran Vasek Pospisil is again on the Nationwide Financial institution Open, an occasion he’s visited for over a decade. The 31-year-old is 61st within the ATP rankings and performs his first match of the summer time laborious court docket season. He’ll open his marketing campaign in opposition to a qualifier, and if victorious, may face tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Pospisil outlasted the Spaniard in a five-set thriller final 12 months on the U.S. Open.
Within the ladies’s discipline, Montreal’s Leylah Fernandez performs a qualifier in her opening match. The 18-year-old returns after her Olympic debut in Tokyo, the place she reached the second spherical with a three-set win over Dayana Yastremska.
Toronto native Rebecca Marino traces as much as face hard-hitting American Madison Keys in a heavy-weight Spherical 1 encounter.
Each ladies have punishing baseline groundstrokes and an enormous weapon on serve.
Canadian Carol Zhao meets forty seventh ranked Spanish participant, Sara Sorribes Tormo. Zhao returned from damage this season and has made two ITF finals.
[ad_2]
Source link
