<p>There were some moments of brilliance for the American, but in the end, her victory in Montreal ended up being the high point of her season. </p>
<p>Here’s how the rest of 2023 went for the National Bank Open champion. </p>
<h3>Tough Act to Follow </h3>
<p>Coming off <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/pegula-finally-gets-her-hands-montreal-trophy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the win in Montreal</a>, Pegula failed to bring the momentum back to her home country. </p>
<p>The very next week in Cincinnati, she struggled to eke out a win in her opening match against qualifier Martina Trevisan before falling in round three to Marie Bouzkova. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/J-tyD57ODa4" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Pegula got off to a strong start at her home major, dropping just eight games in her first two matches at the US Open. But after battling past Elina Svitolina in round three, she was unceremoniously eliminated in the round of sixteen by countrywoman Madison Keys with a 6-1, 6-3 loss. </p>
<h3>Asian Turnaround </h3>
<p>The hard courts of the Far East proved kinder to Pegula than those on her home continent. </p>
<p>In her first event after the US Open, the Buffalo native scored impressive wins over Daria Kasatkina and Maria Sakkari to reach the final in Tokyo, but she lost to Veronika Kudermetova. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kCnbUDX5P48" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>After a disappointing loss to the in-form Jelena Ostapenko in Beijing, Pegula bounced back brilliantly in Seoul. The American lost just one set on her way to her second title of the year and capped off the run with a win over Yue Yuan of China. </p>
<h3>Near-Perfection at the WTA Finals </h3>
<p>Coming into the year-end championship with momentum, Pegula delivered one of the best performances of her career against the world’s best. </p>
<p>In the Group Stage, she did not drop a set in three matches, including two victories over players ranked above her: No. 4 Elena Rybakina and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wBd_vLf6h-w" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Up against her doubles partner Coco Gauff in the semis, Pegula was locked in as she only allowed the US Open champion three games to advance to the biggest final of her career, still having not dropped a set. </p>
<p>However, that’s where the magic ended for the American as she <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/swiatek-wins-wta-finals-finish-2023-bang" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ran into the buzzsaw that is Iga Swiatek in finals</a>. </p>
<p>Pegula finished the season ranked No. 5, two spots below where she was during the National Bank Open. A principal reason for the rankings drop was that she did not defend her 1000 points from winning Guadalajara in 2022. </p>
<h3>Doubles Disappointments </h3>
<p>After the National Bank Opn, Pegula continued to be among the tour’s best dual threats, being competitive in both singles and doubles draws. </p>
<p>However, unlike in singles, she failed to capture a title on the doubles side in the final months of the season. </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/canada-wins-first-billie-jean-king-cup-title" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canada Wins First Billie Jean King Cup Title</a></strong></p>
<p>Her best result came at the US Open when she and Coco Gauff reached the quarter-finals. Her third-round win in New York ended up being Pegula’s last match win in doubles in 2023 as she finished the year on a six-match losing streak. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PQhXwDMg1eg" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Following the US Open, she lost her opening matches in both Tokyo and Beijing before finishing the Group Stage of the WTA Finals 0-3 despite her and Gauff being the top seeds. </p>
<p>Pegula finished the year ranked third doubles.  </p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>

Features

Catching Up with Jessica Pegula: How the Rest of 2023 Went

<p dir="ltr">What a week of tennis! There was never any doubt that the talented women of the WTA Tour would treat Montrealers to the best that the sport has to offer – and they certainly did so, as fans throughout the week truly got to Feel Tennis at the highest level from start to finish.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Let’s look back on the incredible week of tennis we were all treated to in this final Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Qualifying weekend saw record turnout as fans and their families enjoyed not only the great activities around the site as part of IGA Family Weekend but also a stacked qualifying draw. The highlight of qualifying was a blockbuster clash between fan-favourite Genie Bouchard and eventual quarter-finalist Danielle Collins, which was won by the American, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. </p><figure><img src="/files/_default/12008858/Pascal-Ratthe_2023-08-08_4181_2023-08-13-231731_gwtp.webp" alt="Caroline Wozniacki" /><figcaption>Photo : Pascal Ratthé</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">The luck of the draw was on Canadians’ side, as all three Canadian wild cards drew qualifiers in their opening round. Leylah Fernandez was the sole Canadian to advance, defeating Peyton Stearns in straight sets. Fans were also treated to Caroline Wozniacki’s first win in three years after retiring from the sport to start a family, as well as a wild win for the also-comebacking Jennifer Brady, who downed Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(7), 0-6, 7-6(8) in one of the craziest scorelines you’ll see in tennis.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In second round action, most of the tournament’s top seeds survived stern challenges across the board, with only Caroline Garcia and Maria Sakkari losing out in their opener. A blockbuster clash between last year’s finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia and Fernandez was the highlight of the second round, as the Canadian favourite survived three tough sets to thrill the Montreal crowd with a win.</p>
<figure><img src="/files/_default/12008855/Pascal-Ratthe_2023-08-09_5293.webp" alt="Leylah Fernandez" /><figcaption>Photo : Pascal Ratthé</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">Rain delays – which would be a challenge throughout the week – saw Elena Rybakina play an epic against Brady over the course of two days as ultimately she edged out the win in three close sets. And that wouldn’t be the only epic for Rybakina, as she defeated Daria Kasatkina in one of the best matches this season, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(8), and finishing just before 3 o’clock in the morning.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On the other half of the draw, Pegula would face good friend Coco Gauff, eliminating her doubles partner in three tightly contested sets. Top seed Iga Swiatek managed to navigate a tricky draw to reach the semi-finals despite never feeling fully comfortable with the quicker conditions and heavier balls. </p>
<figure><img src="/files/_default/11977559/Sarah-Jade-Champagne_2023-08-11_6353.webp" alt="" /><figcaption>Photo : Sarah-Jade Champagne</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">In the semis, the World No. 1 faced Pegula in their eighth career head-to-head, with the American coming out on top in a tense three-setter after recovering from a break down in the final set. On Championship Sunday, eventual finalist Liudmila Samsonova and Rybakina once again had to play a rain delayed match – this time with the added challenge of knowing the winner would have to play the final against Pegula a few hours later.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It was Samsonova, ultimately, who was able to find her range despite a challenging schedule throughout the week, knocking out an exhausted Rybakina to reach her maiden WTA 1000 final. She didn’t have much left in the tank for the final, unfortunately, but can be proud of her efforts this week – as can World No. 3 Pegula, who leaves Montreal with her second trophy at this level and all the momentum she could have hoped for going into the US Open in a few weeks time.</p><figure><img src="/files/_default/12008857/Pascal-Ratthe_2023-08-13_7316.webp" alt="" /></figure><p dir="ltr"><br /></p>

Peroni

NBO Results

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Refresh: Recap of the 2023 National Bank Open

<p>The Montreal native will now face off against another lefty in the form of Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, who defeated Italy’s Martina Trevisan in three sets earlier in the day.</p>
<p>Fernandez, who has been sidelined for a couple of months due to a stress fracture in her foot, showed little signs of rust in her early exchanges with Sanders, who had already become acclimated with the faster conditions at Sobeys Stadium after winning two matches in qualifying over the weekend. </p>
<p>While both women had their fair share of chances to draw first blood, it was ultimately Sanders who blinked first, double faulting on set point to hand a one-set advantage to Fernandez.</p>
<p>After trading early breaks in the second set, Fernandez and Sanders both cruised on serve until the 10th game, when the Canadian began to force the issue with the finish line in sight. Sanders, however, quickly found a second wind, raising her level at precisely the right time to fend off two match points. She was able to parlay that momentum into a one-sided tiebreak, which she took to draw level at one-set-all.</p>
<p>With little to separate both women, Fernandez earned a crucial break in the fifth game of the final set, but the deciding factor came at 4-3, when the home favourite had to fend off three break points in a marathon 20-point game. Once she was able to hold serve, Fernandez quickly pressed home her advantage, breaking once more to punch her ticket to the second round in Toronto after two hours and 41 minutes.</p>
<p>Joining Fernandez in the next round is Swiss left-hander Jil Teichmann, who knocked out seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, 6-2, 6-3, in 75 minutes to close out the drama-filled day on Centre Court.</p>
<p>Teichmann, who is now sitting at a career-high ranking of No. 21 in the world, quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set as Williams, who was playing just her second singles match of the year, struggled to find her range. The second set began with five service breaks in a row before Teichmann steadied the ship, consolidating her advantage and later breaking once more to wrap up the match in straight sets.</p>

Tournament News

FEARLESS FERNANDEZ WEATHERS THE STORM; VENUS WILLIAMS FALLS TO TEICHMANN IN NBO OPENER

<p>It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Djokovic, however, as the World No. 1 got off to a somewhat rocky start with a tight three-set victory over the suddenly clicking Holger Rune followed by a three-set loss to Jannik Sinner, much to the delight of the Italian crowd, in round robin play.  </p>
<p>A win from Sinner in his final match of the round robin assured that Djokovic would advance and stay alive in the competition, although this would come back to haunt Sinner in their rematch in the finals where the Serb prevailed 6-3, 6-3.  </p>
<p>“It’s one of the best seasons I’ve had in my life, no doubt," Djokovic said to summarize his amazing year on tour. "To crown it with a win against a hometown hero in Jannik, who has played amazing tennis this week, is phenomenal. I’m very proud of the performances these past two days against Alcaraz and Sinner, probably the best two players in the world next to me and Medvedev at the moment — and the way they have been playing, I had to step it up.” </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BO9S2WB8I64" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>In the final match against Sinner, Djokovic was relentless on his serve, in particular in the opening set where he won 20 of 22 points while serving. Sinner tried his best to keep things alive in the second set and came close to breaking on more than once occasion.  </p>
<p>The Italian fought hard in a 16-minute game in the final set that saw eight deuces and in which he somehow managed to hold his serve. In the next game, he had a look at 0-30 on Djokovic’s serve, but as we’ve seen so many times before, the Serbian went into lock-down mode and made sure he closed it out in straight sets.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/canada-enjoying-return-to-malaga-for-davis-cup-title-defence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canada Enjoying Return to Malaga for Davis Cup Title Defence</a></strong></p>
<p>Djokovic now becomes be the first man to finish as ATP No. 1 on eight separate occasions and also achieves an incredible 400 weeks as the best male player in the world.  </p>
<p>"It's a pretty good achievement, 400 weeks at No. 1,” said Djokovic. “It's never been done in history. Someone will eventually break it, but hopefully it stays there for a long time."  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/h1XnvVzzVP8" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>In terms of future records to break for Djokovic, the quest for the most-ever singles titles on the ATP is still one to aim for. With 98 career singles titles he is quietly approaching the all-time record of 109 set by Jimmy Connors which he will have a realistic shot of attaining within the next couple of years should he remain healthy.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/djokovic-delivers-paris" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Djokovic Delivers in Paris</a></strong></p>
<p>As for Sinner, the 22-year-old Italian gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about as he continues to build on his enormous potential and talent. Fans in Canada got to see the full effect of Sinner at his best back in August at the National Bank Open where he<a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/sinner-finally-breaks-through-biggest-title-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> won the biggest title to-date of his young ATP career </a>against Alex De Minaur.  He beat Djokovic for the first time in his career in the round robin and seems poised to contend moving forward at the biggest tournaments in the sport.  </p>
<h3>Rest of the Field </h3>
<p>It was a first appearance for Carlos Alcaraz at the year-end championships. Though he qualified a year ago, injuries kept his debut at the event stalled until the 2023 edition.  </p>
<p>The 20-year-old Spaniard hasn’t been quite as sharp since <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/carlos-alcaraz-captures-first-wimbledon-title" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">winning his maiden Wimbledon title</a> in July and although he advanced in Turin to the semifinals, he was no match for Djokovic who took him out 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the finals.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/G4SPayb9yLQ" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Despite a bit of a slower finish to the season, Alcaraz still took important steps forward this past year in his development, winning Wimbledon and his back-and-forth battle for the No.1 ranking with Djokovic was definitely one of the highlights of the year as the two traded the top spot multiple times.  </p>
<p>Disappointment was bound to happen for some players in the Top Eight field and in particular for Stefanos Tsitsipas who lost his opening match to Sinner and then had to withdraw while trailing 1-2 in the opening set of his next match against Holger Rune. </p>
<p>It was also a tough week for Andrey Rublev who, despite playing quite well this Fall, finished 0-3 in his round-robin play. </p>
<h3>Doubles Draw </h3>
<p>The top eight men’s doubles tandems were also in competition in Turin and the team that stood above the rest was Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. The British duo defeated Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos by a score of 6-3, 6-4 to repeat as year-end ATP Finals Champions.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZKUwO9xx-Fw" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>After the win, Ram had the following to say about their success in at the event, “We love this place. This is the biggest tournament we play on the ATP calendar all year and to win it twice in a row is something I never would have thought of and I’m so proud of.” </p>
<p>Highlights for 2023 from the established tandem in the 22 events they played together included titles in Lyon, New York at the US Open, Vienna and now of course Turin. They also fared well in Canada, making it to the finals at the NBO in Toronto in August.  </p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>

Tour Results

Novak Djokovic Wins ATP Finals to Finish 2023 On Top

<p>Marina Stakusic and Leylah Annie Fernandez delivered straight-set singles win to give Canada a 2-0 victory in the final over Italy.</p>
<p>After Stakusic took the first match in the tie between Team Canada and Italy, Fernandez made quick work of Jasmine Paolini in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 to give the country its first-ever victory at the Billie Jean King Cup.  </p>
<p>Canada was bulletproof in its path to the title. In its ties against Spain, Poland, Czechia, and now Italy, the team only lost one match. The team played with such fervour and intensity that an early elimination never quite seemed to be in the cards.  </p>
<p>From the moment the match began, Fernandez was locked in. It didn’t take long for the Canadian to take the lead as she started the first set by breaking Paolini’s serve. Though the Italian would come close to doing the same in the following game, Fernandez maintained her composure and held her serve.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Mwc1ldzac6w" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Paolini then fought back, holding her next serve and breaking Fernandez in the fourth game to even the set. From there, Fernandez didn’t stumble once. She went on to hold her next two service games and break Paolini’s serve twice for a quick route in the first set.  </p>
<p>The second set went down in a similar fashion as Paolini held her first serve to take her first and only lead of the entire match. Fernandez took the next three games in a row, and while Paolini held her third service of the set, it wouldn’t get much closer than that. </p>
<p>With a 3-2 lead in the second set, Fernandez saw the title was within reach and flipped a switch. She held her serve in the following game and then converted a break point to bring the title within a single game. Paolini, with her back against the wall, broke Fernandez’s serve in turn, but could not hold hers in the final game, leading Canada to the victory.</p>
<p>Paolini’s final service game went into a deuce but the Canadian wasn’t intimidated by the stakes and finished the match with a massive break to notch the Billie Jean King Cup title for Canada.  </p>
<p>While Fernandez was solid in her service games. Her ability to convert six break points across both sets was the difference-maker. She remained undefeated all week – and all throughout the event in 2023 – and helped make history for Canadian tennis.</p>
<h3>STAKUSIC CAPS OFF DREAM WEEK</h3>
<p>Marina Stakusic defeated Martina Trevisan in straight sets in the opening match of the final on Sunday to set up Fernandez’s finish. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/stakusic-dazzles-in-debut-at-billie-jean-king-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">As she has for much of the week</a>, the Canadian seemed completely unphased by the occasion, handling the ups-and-downs in the biggest match of her life. Despite the Italian’s persistence, Stakusic was able to put her away 7-5, 6-3 to give Canada the lead. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/X4tpeBNOdUo" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Despite the straight-set scoreline, the match was tight with Stakusic hitting just one more winner than her opponent. The Canadian took advantage of Trevisan’s second serves, winning 76 per cent of those points, which contributed to her six breaks on 13 opportunities.</p>
<p>Playing in the biggest match of her life and one of the biggest matches in Canadian tennis history, Stakusic looked completely at home as she opened with a hold to love and then ripped a big return to break for a 2-0 lead. </p>
<p>Canada has been a problem for Trevisan at the Billie Jean King Cup and when she held serve for 1-3, it was the first game she had ever won against Canada in the competition. </p>
<p>But that hold sparked the Italian, who started to find her range and got Stakusic stuck on the defensive. The result was four straight games for Trevisan who set herself up to serve for the set at 5-4.</p>
<p>It was then Stakusic’s turn to go on a run, immediately setting up triple break point and converting the second to get back level at 5-5. The Canadian then held and broke one more time, claiming the last three games of the opening set.</p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gF98P8TKVd0" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>The second set got off to a wild start with five of the first six games of the set going against the server. Three of those five breaks were in favour of Stakusic. The Canadian had four chances to close out the match on Trevisan’s serve in the eighth game, but the Italian hung tough to put the pressure of serving out the match on the Canadian. </p>
<p>But Stakusic did not let the missed opportunities get to her. She easily held to love to put Canada on the verge of winning the title. </p>
<p><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/tickets-packages/toronto-single-session-tickets">Buy your tickets</a> now to see Canada's World Champions at the 2024 National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto from August 4-12. </p>

Team Canada

Canada Wins First Billie Jean King Cup Title

<p>She ends 2023 as the undisputed best player in the world and claims the year-end No. 1 ranking for a second consecutive year. With her strong performance, Swiatek overtook Aryna Sabalenka by just a 295-point margin to capture the top spot.  </p>
<p>Hosted in Cancun amidst much criticism over last-minute construction and questionable court conditions, the WTA Finals showed us a Swiatek who seemed dialed-in from the start and completely undistracted from the less-than-perfect setup. In losing only 20 games through all of her matches at the tournament, she bested the previous record of 32 lost by Serena Williams for the fewest dropped at the event.  </p>
<p>In every round-robin match, Swiatek took at least one set by a lopsided scoreline. In round-robin play, she won every match she played: 7-6(3), 6-0 vs Marketa Vondrousova, 6-0, 7-5 vs Coco Gauff, and 6-1, 6-2 vs Ons Jabeur. Then in the semifinals, she defeated Sabalenka in a match with the World No. 1 ranking effectively on the line and won handily 6-3, 6-2 before her decisive victory against Pegula for the title.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nrB_VVQuDAs" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>While Cancun was rife with possible distractions for the participants, Swiatek embraced a positive attitude towards the obstacles and focused on the task at hand. Whether it be the extreme and unpredictable weather or the court conditions, she was able to block things out and just focus on her tennis.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/swiatek-bounces-back-beijing-victory" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swiatek Bounces Back for Beijing Victory</a></strong></p>
<p>“Because of the wind, I think it's going to kind of even out every match because sometimes we're just going to make more mistakes or not control the ball as we could in different conditions,” Swiatek said at the start of the event. “It's also up to us how we're going to handle that. I think it's going to be more about that mental attitude toward these matches and how you accept some mistakes and also use opportunities that you have.” </p>
<p>Pegula also had a strong tournament but ran out of steam in the championship match. Playing in both the singles and doubles draw was quite an undertaking especially when matches became back-logged due to the rainfall. The American had not dropped a set through three group stage matches and her semifinal win over her doubles partner, Gauff.<br /></p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mHYRgJfH9O4" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>“I want to say congrats to Iga and your team and family on an amazing year,” said Pegula after the match. “Ending the year No. 1 and winning this tournament. You continue to push me to be a better player every year. It makes me a much better player. I really appreciate that.<br /></p>

<h3>Canadian Content </h3>
<p>Gabriela Dabrowski was the lone Canadian representative at the WTA Finals. She and Kiwi partner Erin Routliffe have been the hottest doubles team on Tour in the last portion of the season with <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/dabrowski-wins-historic-womens-doubles-title-at-us-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">titles at the US Open</a> and <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/fernandez-dabrowski-win-titles-in-hong-kong-and-zhengzhou/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zhengzhou</a> as well as <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/dabrowski-and-routliffe-fall-in-the-womens-doubles-final-in-guadalajara/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a finals appearances in Guadalajara</a> at the WTA 1000 event.  </p>
<p>In Cancun, the two got off to a fast start winning all three of their group stage matches in straight sets. They impressively took out No. 1 seeds Gauff and Pegula 7-6(2), 6-3, defeated eventual champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-2, and beat the always-tough Czech duo of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 7-5.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Hfk6YHPda8k" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>In the semifinals however, Nicole Melichar and Ellen Perez got the better of them by a score of 6-1, 6-7(1), 10-6 to bring the tournament to a close for Dabrowski and Routliffe.  </p>
<p>Still, over the last few months they have proven themselves to be one of the top teams in the women’s game and it should be exciting to see what they can accomplish together over a full season when the begin 2024 as a tandem. Dabrowski has re-established herself as one of the premiere doubles players in the world and Routliffe has found the confidence to play at that level as well for the first time in her professional career.  </p>
<h3>Doubles Draw </h3>
<p>In doubles, it was the veteran tandem of Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva who emerged as champions. The sixth seeds defeated Nicole Melichar and Ellen Perez in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9cdcZ0AuK_c" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>"Everything was tight and close," Zvonareva said after the win. "And then we got a few small opportunities to take a break. And I think we did great on those opportunities. Every single opportunity that we had, we took advantage of." </p>
<p>It capped off a fantastic season for the pair who captured four titles together and also made the finals of the US Open in September. Siegemund is 35 years old and Zvonareva at 39 demonstrated that their combined experience is clearly an advantage for the two.  </p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a><br /></p>

Swiatek Wins WTA Finals to Finish 2023 with a Bang

<p>Playing in his first event since <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/novak-djokovic-grabs-slam-no-24-us-open" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">triumphing at the US Open</a> in September, Djokovic survived a couple of grueling matches in the quarter-finals and semifinals where he defeated Holger Rune 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 and then Andrey Rublev 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5. The Serbian is currently on an 18-match win streak going back to <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/carlos-alcaraz-captures-first-wimbledon-title" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">his loss in the finals of Wimbledon</a> in July at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz.  </p>
<p>Djokovic admitted after the victory that he is comfortable revealing that he wants to break as many records as he can in the sport and with the way he continues to play at 36 years old, there’s no reason to believe he will stop doing so anytime soon.  </p>
<p>In terms of overall Masters 1000 titles among active players, Djokovic leads Rafael Nadal now by four and Andy Murray by twenty-three. He has twelve more than the retired Roger Federer as well.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AFuajhD2pO0" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>While the grueling tennis season is now approaching the finish line, Djokovic is still looking at what he can accomplish before things wrap-up in Turin. He has his sights set on two items in particular as he shared in his post-tournament press conference in Paris.  </p>
<p>“I'm going [to Turin] with good feelings, with a lot of confidence. You know, I haven't lost a match since the Wimbledon final, so I'm really excited to hopefully finish off the season on a high. But yeah, clinching the year No. 1 and Davis Cup are the two biggest goals.” </p>
<p>For Dimitrov, reaching the finals in Paris is a testament to his never-ending belief that he could once again attain the upper levels of the ATP Tour. Seeking his first ATP title in six years, Dimitrov couldn’t push Djokovic in the championship match, but came up big on his way there by defeating quality opponents such as Daniil Medvedev, <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/hurkacz-emerges-victorious-shanghai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubert Hurkacz</a> and Stefanos Tsitsipas, all in closely contested three-set matches.<br /></p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Yn82YSsarjw" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Dimitrov reflected after his tournament on the emotions he felt at the conclusion of his match against Djokovic. </p>
<p>“It's difficult to explain emotions, I think. You want it. You know, it's tough when it doesn't happen. Only I know, in a way, without feeling sorry for myself, what I've gone through the past months on and off the court. Those are happy tears. I don't want to have them as something negative. I'm human, after all.” </p>
<h3>Rest of the Field<br /></h3>
<p>Strong tournaments were enjoyed in Paris by fifth seed Andrey Rublev and seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who both made it to the final four. Rublev has been on a solid run lately that has helped him qualify for his fourth season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. Recently he made the finals in Shanghai and the semifinals in Vienna. For his part, Tsitsipas has also qualified for the year-end finals with recent back-to-back semifinal results before equaling that in Paris.  </p>
<p>Another player who should be satisfied with his recent play is 20-year-old Holger Rune who seems to be back on track after joining forces with former six-time Slam champion Boris Becker as his new coach. Rune struggled mightily through the summer that saw him go 0-3 in Toronto, Cincinnati and at the US Open. He’s now made the semifinals in Basel and the quarter-finals in Paris where he pushed Djokovic to three sets.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/65rfM5HwTw0" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Surprising results in Paris included the early defeat of No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz in his tournament opener to the tricky Roman Safiullin as well as an early loss for No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev who fell at the hands of Dimitrov. Fourth-seeded Jannik Sinner also withdrew from the event after his initial win that saw him leave the court well past 2 am local time and without enough time given by tournament organizers to properly recover ahead of his next match.  </p>
<h3>Canadian Content </h3>
<p>Felix Auger-Aliassime seemed to turn the corner on a challenging season with his recent title defence in Basel. In Paris, <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-opens-paris-masters-with-confident-victory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he defeated noted Canadian killer Jan-Lennard Struff</a> in his opener before<a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassimes-win-streak-ends-in-paris-masters-second-round/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> falling at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas</a>. Tsitsipas won 6-3, 7-6(4) and increased his head-to-head career count to 6-3 over FAA.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZyfwK7pI1_Y" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Next up for Auger-Aliassime will be trying to help Team Canada defend their Davis Cup title as he joins a formidable Canadian squad including Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil, Alexix Galarneau and Gabriel Diallo later this month in Malaga.  </p>
<h3>Doubles Draw </h3>
<p>In doubles, the veteran tandem of Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin narrowly defeated Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden by a score of 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 to claim the title. The duo impressively took out the second, third, and fourth seeds on their way to the championship.  </p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>

Djokovic Delivers in Paris

<p>In the final, Hurkacz faced a tough test in No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev and was victorious by a competitive score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8).  </p>
<p>“It was such a battle," Hurkacz said after the match. "Especially emotionally. I had a match point and Andrey hit an amazing serve and then he had a match point and then I had some match points. It was back and forth and such a tricky match. Andrey was playing some great shots. I was trying to respond. It was one of those matches and I kept believing and I am super happy with how I managed at the end.” </p>
<p>Shanghai is the second Masters 1000 title of Hurkacz’s career with the other coming at the Miami Open in 2021. The Polish player has now won an impressive seven of his eight career appearances in ATP Finals. With the title this past week, Hurkacz now moves up to No. 11 in the men’s rankings.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8huvN6_EKz0" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Hurkacz proved that nice guys can indeed finish first, as he is one of the most genuinely well-liked players on the ATP Tour among many fans, media and his fellow peers as well. In fact many tennis pundits have questioned whether or not Hurkacz’ pleasant demeanor has been a detriment in his chase for success at the highest levels of the sport.  </p>
<p>Esteemed Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim joined the Tennis Canada podcast, <a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/matchpointcanadatcpn?selected=SINCL5954767781" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Match Point Canada</a>, this week and had the following to say on Hurkacz and his progress in Shanghai.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_J0CDqMLW94" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>“He’s a really nice guy. I think sometimes that can bleed over to his tennis. It seems as though he doesn’t quite have that gear that says, ‘I’m not leaving this court as anything but a winner.’ But this is an absolute concierge-level player. The fact that he just won, beating Rublev for the title, is a really good sign. There are all sorts of players we can point to like Ivan Lendl of Kim Clijsters who had a hard time mentally, and once they sort of crossed that Rubicon, they were good. Maybe this will be a turning point, this title.”  </p>
<h3>Rest of the Field </h3>
<p>Elsewhere in the draw there were plenty of upsets that saw the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, the top two seeds, both fall early. Alcaraz went down in the round of 16 to veteran Grigor Dimitrov, while Medvedev was beaten in the third round by eventual semifinalist Sebastian Korda.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/2024-national-bank-open-follow-new-schedule-due-olympics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 National Bank Open to Follow New Schedule Due to Olympics</a></strong></p>
<p>Shanghai was an excellent outing for Dimitrov, who made his first Masters 1000 semifinal since Monte Carlo in 2022. He’s now up to No. 16 in the rankings and at the age of 32 is still a formidable foe.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bKbJPxRxxrU" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Korda had himself a great week too. Aside from taking out the World No. 3 Medvedev, Korda dispatched quality opponents like Francisco Cerundolo and the rising Ben Shelton (and his 17 aces!). It was a career-best showing at a Masters 1000 event for Korda, who previously had only once made the quarter-finals of such a tournament in Miami in 2021.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/swiatek-bounces-back-beijing-victory" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swiatek Bounces Back for Beijing Victory</a></strong></p>
<p>Other players who had a solid week with their results included quarter-finalists Nicolas Jarry, Ugo Humbert and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan who saw a 26-position increase on the ATP.  </p>
<p>Finally, two-time Shanghai champion and legend of the sport Roger Federer made an appearance in Shanghai and was honoured on Centre Court with an Icon Athlete Award. Federer was champion in Shanghai in 2014 and 2017.  </p>
<h3><strong><strong>Canadian Content</strong></strong> </h3>
<p>With Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic both on the mend, there was a lone Canadian in action in Shanghai.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1NQA1Rco4Kk" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Regrettably, it was <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-edged-out-in-shanghai-thriller-by-fucsovics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">another opening-match loss for Felix Auger-Aliassime</a>. The 23-year-old was defeated in a 3-hour, 21-minute match by Marton Fucsovics 7-6(3), 6-4, 3-6. Auger-Aliassime caught fire last year around this time when he reeled off three consecutive tournament victories in Antwerp, Florence and Rotterdam. While still currently ranked 17th on the ATP, he’s due to take a significant tumble if his recent struggles continue.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/throwback-felix-auger-aliassimes-three-title-run-october-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Throwback to Felix Auger-Aliassime's Three-Title Run in October 2022</a></strong></p>
<p>Auger-Aliassime also fell in the opening round of the doubles draw with partner Jiri Lehecka, defeated by <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/recapitulatif-atp-de-la-journee/2023/cashmere-wrap-sinner-winner-first-masters-1000-title-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBO doubles champs</a> Jean-Julien Rojer and Marcelo Arevalo.  </p>
<h3>Doubles Action  </h3>
<p>The doubles title was claimed by the seventh-seeded team of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos who defeated fourth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 5-7, 6-2, 10-7 for the championship.  </p>
<p>It was the first final for Granollers and Zeballos since they made it to the title match at Wimbledon earlier in the summer and their first triumph together since Halle in 2022. It is their fifth Masters 1000 title as a tandem in their career.  </p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>

Hurkacz Emerges Victorious in Shanghai

<p>Following her victory, Swiatek shared that, “I’m very happy [to have won], for sure it was the last thing that I expected at the beginning of the tournament. The match, even though the scoreline suggests it was easy, wasn’t. It was intense, and I put a lot of pressure on myself.”  </p>
<p>After a hot start to 2023, Swiatek had slowed her pace in recent weeks which saw her fail to reach the finals in Montreal, Cincinnati, New York, and Tokyo.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rTFWo8rkV_g" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>“I try to keep my expectations low for as long as possible, and focus on the work, because what I did after the US Open, digging deep into technique and working really hard, paid off. I’m trying to continue that for the rest of the season.” </p>
<p>The improvements were noticeable and Swiatek is now the first woman since Serena Williams to win five or more titles in back-to-back seasons on the WTA.  </p>
<p>It was also a fantastic week for Samsonova, one of the fastest-rising stars on tour, to make yet another 1000-level final.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gfl-1Xqq9PE" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Canadian tennis fans saw<a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/samsonova-rallies-past-rybakina-sets-pegula-showdown-national-bank-open-title" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> her reach the final in Montreal this past summer</a>. Samsonova took out 12th-seeded Petra Kvitova, 13th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko and fifth-seed Elena Rybakina en route to the championship match. It was an impressive fourth victory in as many matches for her against Rybakina. She’s up six spots in the rankings to No. 16 overall.  </p>
<h3>Rest of the Field </h3>
<p>It was a more predictable draw in Beijing in terms of the top players advancing. Coco Gauff made it to the semifinals before experiencing her first loss since the quarter-finals in Montreal nearly two months ago. Since Wimbledon, the 19-year-old World No. 3 has gone an incredible 22-2 to truly position herself near the top of the women’s game.  </p>
<p>In the semis, she was bested by Swiatek, a player who has a distinct advantage in their career head-to-head which now stands at 8-1 in favour of the Polish player. </p>
<p> <strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/coco-gauffs-dream-comes-true-us-open" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coco Gauff’s Dream Comes True at US Open</a></strong></p>
<p>Gauff admitted to dealing with some physical issues in the match and when asked about the difference from the last time they faced each other, said that, “I think she played a little bit more aggressive or consistently aggressive <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/gauff-caps-dream-week-breakthrough-cincinnati" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compared to Cincinnati</a>. I think Cincinnati I got a little bit more errors than today.” </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LlthRPKqtlk" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>The big hitters were rewarded all week with the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia, Maria Sakkari, Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko all making it to the final eight.  </p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2023/maria-sakkari-bounces-back-guadalajara" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maria Sakkari Bounces Back in Guadalajara</a></strong></p>
<p>Speaking of final eight, the field is already set for the GNP Seguros WTA Finals happening at the end of this month in Cancun with as deep a pool of candidates as we’ve seen in many years. The list of players is as follows:  </p>







<ul><li>Aryna Sabalenka </li><li>Iga Swiatek </li><li>Coco Gauff </li><li>Elena Rybakina </li><li>Jessica Pegula </li><li>Marketa Vondrousova </li><li>Karolina Muchova </li><li>Ons Jabeur </li></ul>
<h3>Canadian Content<br /></h3>
<p>It wasn’t the best of weeks for Canadians in Beijing as Leylah Annie Fernandez failed to advance past qualifying where she was taken out by Eva Lys in straight sets. Fernandez has already atoned for that result in Hong Kong, where she defeated top seed Victoria Azarenka in the opening round to kick start this week.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LfsUjYkI88w" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Canadian tennis fans will hope that Fernandez rounds into form in time for the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup tie in Seville in early November. Fernandez will be heavily leaned-on <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/fernandez-marino-dabrowski-bouchard-and-stakusic-to-represent-team-canada-at-billie-jean-king-cup-finals-in-seville/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to lead Team Canada</a> against Spain and Poland in their round-robin grouping.  </p>
<p>Rebecca Marino, <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/fernandez-marino-dabrowski-bouchard-and-stakusic-to-represent-team-canada-at-billie-jean-king-cup-finals-in-seville/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">who is also on the BJK Cup squad</a>, similarly lost in the first round of qualies where she was defeated by Lucia Bronzetti, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.  </p>
<h3>Doubles Action </h3>
<p>In the doubles final, the tandem of Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo came out on top with a 3-6, 6-0, 10-4 win against Hao-Ching Chan and Giuliana Olmos. Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo were unseeded and captured the first WTA 1000 title of their careers as partners. It’s the second title they’ve achieved together.  </p><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wrLXaHVfvE8" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Meanwhile, the tandem of Canadian Gaby Dabrowski and Kiwi Erin Routliffe finally cooled off as they fell in the round of sixteen to Peyton Stearns and Magda Linette.  </p>
<p>After <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/dabrowski-wins-historic-womens-doubles-title-at-us-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">winning the US Open in September</a> and then following that up with <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/dabrowski-and-routliffe-fall-in-the-womens-doubles-final-in-guadalajara/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a finalist showing in Guadalajara</a>, the duo have fallen in their opening round match in consecutive draws.  </p>
<p>There is still hope for them to qualify for the WTA Finals which would be quite remarkable given they only began playing together earlier in the summer in Montreal. Currently, they are tenth in the WTA race, but within striking distance of the top eight. </p>
<p><em>The ATP's best return to Montreal next summer for the National Bank Open August 3 to 12, 2024 at IGA Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>
<p><em>The WTA's best return to Toronto next summer for the National Bank Open August 4 to 12, 2024 at Sobeys Stadium. 2024 Tickets are on sale. </em><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Get your tickets today!</em></strong></a></p>

Swiatek Bounces Back for Beijing Victory

<p>The main draw event in both cities next year will start on Tuesday, Aug. 6 (one day later than in non-Olympic years), meaning the finals will take place on the evening of Monday, Aug. 12, the first time in history that a Monday night final will take place in Toronto.</p>
<p>With the tennis event at the Olympic Games happening in Paris from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, Aug. 4, the match schedule will be adjusted in order to optimize our spot on the tennis calendar and allow the players ample time to travel and prepare in time for our tournaments.</p>
<p>The tournament schedule will be the following:<span dir="ltr"></span></p>
<ul><li>Saturday, Aug. 3 – Open practice day <em>(in Montreal only)</em></li><li>Sunday, Aug. 4 – 1st round of qualifying</li><li>Monday, Aug. 5 – 2nd round of qualifying</li><li>Tuesday, Aug. 6 – 1st round (<em>main draw play begins)</em></li><li>Wednesday, Aug. 7 – 1st and 2nd round</li><li>Thursday, Aug. 8 – 2nd and third round</li><li>Friday, Aug. 9 – Third round</li><li>Saturday, Aug. 10 – Quarter-Finals</li><li>Sunday, Aug. 11 – Semifinals</li><li>Monday, Aug. 12 – Finals</li></ul>
<h3>IGA Family Weekend in association with Maple Leaf Foods and VIA Rail Canada - Montreal<br /></h3>
<p>With main draw action moved to Tuesday, this provides the opportunity to begin the qualifying weekend for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal on Saturday, Aug. 3 – keeping the <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/what-do/activities/montreal-family-weekend">family weekend across three days</a> to maximize free access to tennis and fun-filled activities for fans of all ages. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Wc5uEIXZRsk" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Saturday, Aug. 3 will remain an open practice day, with the opportunity to witness the biggest names in the game as they finetune their preparations while qualifying will take place on Sunday, Aug. 4 and Monday, Aug. 5. <br /></p>
<h3> 407 ETR Family Weekend - Toronto</h3>
<p>With the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto, <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/what-do/activities/toronto-family-weekend">407 ETR Family Weekend</a> will take place in conjunction with the qualifying rounds on Sunday, Aug. 4 and Monday, Aug. 5 – once again, an array of family activities will be offered on-site at Sobeys Stadium as well as open practice sessions with some of the best tennis players in the world. </p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zM0Gz3rFygo" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>This coincides with Ontario’s Civic Holiday on Aug. 5. <br /></p>
<p>Tickets for the 2024 National Bank Open are already on sale in both cities.<br /></p>
<p><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><strong><em>Click here to get your tickets to see the ATP event in Montreal.</em></strong></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em><strong>Click here to get your tickets to see the WTA event in Toronto.</strong></em></a></p>

2024 National Bank Open to Follow New Schedule Due to Olympics

<p>As the Canadian star worked his way up on the ATP Tour, it seemed like he was just waiting for that one big moment where he would break through and realize his potential. After eight finals defeats, the win finally came in Rotterdam in February 2022.</p>
<p>The title certainly boosted Auger-Aliassime's confidence as he had consistent results over the next seven months.</p>
<p>And then October happened.</p>
<figure style="border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);margin:0px 0px 1em;padding:0px;clear:both;color:rgb(63,77,90);font-family:'system-ui', BlinkMacSystemFont, '-apple-system';"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Abyg3PINefY" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>Auger-Aliassime was as close to untouchable as a player can be during a dramatic three-week stretch in the fall of 2022 when he joined an exclusive club of players to win three titles in three consecutive weeks.<br /></p>
<p>Let’s take a look back at Felix’s Fall magic.</p>
<h3>Florence</h3>
<p>Auger-Aliassime arrived in Florence for the one-time ATP 250 event after a disappointing first-round loss in Astana. He looked in trouble early against Germany’s Oscar Otte who pushed the Canadian to a third set, but that was as tough as it would get for Auger-Aliassime that week.</p>
<p><strong>Read also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/felix-auger-aliassimes-fantastic-fall-by-the-numbers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Felix's Fantastic Fall By the Numbers</a></strong></p>
<p>He closed out Otte 6-2 in the third and from there cruised. He never lost more than four games in a set the rest of the week and took advantage of what proved to be a relatively easy path to the title.</p>
<p>His highest-ranked opponent that week was local favourite Lorenzo Musetti, ranked 15 spots behind the Canadian at No. 28, who Auger-Aliassime put away 6-2, 6-3.</p>
<figure style="border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);margin:0px 0px 1em;padding:0px;clear:both;color:rgb(63,77,90);font-family:'system-ui', BlinkMacSystemFont, '-apple-system';"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WX1sDG70G4U" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>In the final, the Montrealer put on a serving clinic against American J.J. Wolf, ripping 11 aces, including one on match point, and winning 85 per cent of his first serve points to grab his second trophy of the season. While his usual hard-hitting game was effective in the final, it was his defence that made the difference as he managed to extend rallies and wear down the big-hitting American in <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-rolls-to-florence-title/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a 6-4, 6-4 win</a>.<br /></p>
<p>While the field in Florence was not the most impressive, it was exactly the kind of event that the best players take advantage of to pick up easy points. Auger-Aliassime was the top seed and one of two Top 20 players in the draw (along with Matteo Berrettini) and he looked like the favourite throughout the week.</p>
<h3>Antwerp</h3>
<p>While it was another week of low-ranked opponents, Auger-Aliassime had a few more tests in Antwerp hot on the heels of his big win in Florence.</p>
<p>Still, the result was the same. Auger-Aliassime played like one of the best players in the world throughout the week and won the title with the loss of just one set.</p>
<p>This time, his highest-ranked opponent, No. 26 Dan Evans, was his toughest test and the Brit came closer than anyone to stopping Auger-Aliassime during the three-week run. Evans took the opening set of <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-perseveres-to-move-past-evans-into-antwerp-semis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their quarter-final clash</a> and pushed the Canadian to within a tiebreak of crashing out in the second set. But Felix dug deep, won the breaker, and cruised through the final set to escape.</p>
<figure style="border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);margin:0px 0px 1em;padding:0px;clear:both;color:rgb(63,77,90);font-family:'system-ui', BlinkMacSystemFont, '-apple-system';"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/y_LSzmzHvlo" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>He had to battle again <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-reaches-second-straight-final-in-antwerp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the semifinals against veteran Richard Gasquet</a>, but Auger-Aliassime won both tiebreaks to advance to his second final in as many weeks. It was the third time in the Montrealer’s career that he reached finals in consecutive weeks and this time he managed to win back-to-back, <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/two-weeks-two-titles-for-auger-aliassime/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating yet another American, Sebastian Korda, for the title</a>.<br /></p>
<h3>Basel</h3>
<p>Back at a 500-level event, the intensity was turned up and Auger-Aliassime nearly tripped at the first hurdle when he went dropped the opening set of his first-round match against Marc-Andrea Huesler. But he fought back to win in three sets and never looked back the entire week in Basel.</p>
<figure style="border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);margin:0px 0px 1em;padding:0px;clear:both;color:rgb(63,77,90);font-family:'system-ui', BlinkMacSystemFont, '-apple-system';"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kiSk2s_2gXU" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>In the very next round, Auger-Aliassime played what he described as “the best match I’ve played in my whole life,” <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/flawless-felix-auger-aliassime-races-into-basel-quarter-finals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a 49-minute 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Miomir Kecmanovic</a> where he hit more winners than the Serb won points and struck more aces than he lost points on serve.<br /></p>
<p>From the second round onwards, the Canadian only lost more than three games in a set once. In the semifinals, he ran into World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for the second time since the Spaniard won the US Open six weeks earlier. But this was not a repeat of their Davis Cup epic, as <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-beats-alcaraz-again-to-reach-third-straight-final/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Auger-Aliassime blew out the world’s top player</a> with the loss of just five games, never dropping serve and firing 23 winners past the speedy Spaniard.</p>
<figure style="border:0px solid rgb(229,231,235);margin:0px 0px 1em;padding:0px;clear:both;color:rgb(63,77,90);font-family:'system-ui', BlinkMacSystemFont, '-apple-system';"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GLofCsmNR5k" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>
<p>For the 11th time in 16 editions of the Swiss Indoors since 2005, a man born on Aug. 8 won the title as <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/auger-aliassime-wins-basel-for-third-consecutive-title/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Auger-Aliassime completed his hat trick with a straight-set win over Holger Rune</a>.<br /></p>
<p>With the win, the Canadian joined an exclusive list of players to win three titles in three weeks. It took him 13 match wins, a streak he would stretch to 16 by the time he finally ran out of gas in the semifinals of the Paris Masters, which was the week after Basel, against Rune. That streak remains the longest winning run of his career as of October 2023.</p>
<p>The run was critical in sending Auger-Aliassime to the ATP Finals for the first time in his career, led him to finish the 2023 season with the best record and most titles indoors on tour, and provided a springboard to his leading Canada to a first Davis Cup title the following month.</p>

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