The Serbian-turned-American won nine Grand Slam singles titles and was ranked No. 1 for 178 weeks, the sixth most all-time.  Eight of her majors came before she turned 20. From the 1990 French Open through the 1993 Australian Open, she won eight of the 11 Grand Slam events she entered, while also reaching the final at Wimbledon in 1992. From 1990 through April 1993, she went 215-19.Given how dominant she was at such a young age, it is easy to assume that Seles would have re-written the record books. But we will never know just how much she could have accomplished.On April 30, 1993, Seles was the victim of the most infamous moment in tennis history. Most tennis fans, and even lots of casual sports fans, probably already know the story. During a match in Hamburg, Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan during a changeover. The 19-year-old would not play another sanctioned match for over two years.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4K9jUpNlzXw" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>2025 marks the 30-year anniversary of Seles’ return to the WTA Tour, which took place in Toronto. And what a comeback it was. Let’s revisit Monica Seles spectacular return to tennis at the 1995 National Bank Open.Seles came into the tournament in a strange position, as the joint No. 1 player and top seed. At the time of the stabbing, the then-Serbian had held the top stop in the rankings and while they did not freeze her ranking at the time, the decision was made to re-institute the now-American as a joint world No. 1 with Steffi Graf when she returned to the tour in August 1995.Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/alcaraz-sinner-lead-new-chapter-tennis-greatest-rivalries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alcaraz, Sinner lead new chapter in tennis’ greatest rivalries</a>With two No. 1 seeds, Seles was placed at the bottom of the draw in spot traditionally occupied by the No. 2 seed. With the way the draw ultimately unfolded, it did not make a huge difference for Seles as the seeds largely held and being in the top or bottom half of the draw would have been similarly challenging. Graf may disagree, though, as she lost her opening match to Amanda Coetzer.  In an interesting twist, Seles ultimately ended up meeting the same player who would have been her first opponent, Coetzer, had she occupied the top line in the draw.  <figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w1PMZok605Q" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Instead, Seles played her first competitive match in two years and three months against lucky loser Kimberly Po. Despite the layoff, the eight-time major champion did not look like she missed a beat, claiming the opening set 6-0 on her way to a routine straight-set win.Coming back at a smaller tournament may have made more sense in theory after such a long time away. By returning in Canada, a Tier I WTA event, Seles was facing off with the best of the best and there would no easing back in.  In theory.In round three, she faced 12th seed Natalie Tauziat and put away the Frenchwoman 6-2, 6-2. Next up was an even bigger test in the form of world No. 10 Anke Huber. Seles passed with flying colours, advancing to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-2 win.Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/destination-nbo-stm-gauff-caps-off-clay-season-roland-garros-title" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gauff caps off clay season with Roland-Garros title</a>Things should have gotten even tougher in the semis against world No. 8 Gabriela Sabatini, who had just reached the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. Instead, Seles got even better, demolishing the former US Open champion with the loss of just a single game.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s4I2WFBMOR4" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Just like that, after over two years away from the tour, Seles was back in a final. Across the net stood Coetzer, who backed up her shocking second-round win over Graf with two more wins over Top 5 seeds to reach what was the biggest final of her career to-date.  One win over a world No. 1 was impressive, but Seles was not interested in letting Coetzer get a second in the same tournament. The American dominated the final, winning 6-0, 6-1 to complete the dream comeback. It was her 33rd career title and first since February 1993.Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/definitely-circled-week-calendar-gabriel-diallo-looking-forward-toronto-return-national-bank-open" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“Definitely circled that week in the calendar,” Gabriel Diallo looking forward to Toronto return for National Bank Open</a>She lost a mere 14 games in the tournament. That still stands as a record for fewest games lost in a title run at the National Bank Open and, given <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/the-ultimate-ticket-guide-2025-nbo-redefined-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the 2025 expansion of the tournament</a>, is unlikely to ever be broken.Seles went on to reach the US Open final a few weeks later but lost in three sets to Graf.In January of the following year, Seles was a champion again, defeating Huber to win her ninth Grand Slam singles title, and first since the stabbing, at the 1996 Australian Open. It was Seles first major since winning in Melbourne three years earlier, three months before Hamburg.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gkGpn81sLN0" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Despite her incredible return to the sport in the summer of 1995 and major triumph in 1996, Seles was never able to re-establish herself as the dominant force she had been in the early 1990s before the stabbing.  Her victory at the 1996 Australian Open was her last Grand Slam title. She reached two more finals but lost them both, at the 1996 US Open again to Graf and at the 1998 French Open to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.  Read also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/change-the-game/2025/laura-stacey-and-marinette-pichon-revealed-as-panelists-for-montreals-inaugural-unmatched-gender-equity-in-sports-conference" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Laura Stacey and Marinette Pichon Revealed as Panelists for Montreal’s Inaugural UNMATCHED Gender Equity in Sports Conference</a>She and Graf jointly held the No. 1 ranking from Seles’ return on Aug. 15, 1995 until Nov. 3, 1996, and again for a week from Nov. 18 to 24, 1996, but Seles never held the top spot solo again after April 1993.  However, Canada remained Seles’ personal playground for the rest of the decade. Her 1995 victory kicked off a run of four consecutive titles at the National Bank Open. She nearly made it five when she reached the 1999 final but Martina Hingis managed to put an end to her domination.Overall, Seles reached the final in her first six appearances in Canada, having made the final in 1992, her lone pre-layoff appearance, and never failed to reach the semis in her seven total trips to the Great White North. She is the only player in the Open Era, male or female, to win in Canada four consecutive years and her four titles are tied with Chris Evert for the most women’s singles titles at the event since 1968. The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star

Tournament Throwback

Comeback Queen: Revisiting Monica Seles’ Dramatic 1995 Return to Tennis in Toronto

Days until National Bank Open: 46<h3>Queen of Clay dethroned </h3>After 26 straight wins at Roland-Garros, three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek’s reign came to an end. But if anyone was to kick the Pole off her throne, it had to be Aryna Sabalenka.The world No. 1 defeated Swiatek to reach the French Open final for the first time, but she lost to world No. 2 Coco Gauff.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UgBBebbFwSI" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Now, can the American begin a reign of her own at Roland-Garros?Gauff had quite the clay season, finishing as runner-up in both Madrid and Rome before becoming the first American winner at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams won her third title a decade ago. Still just 21-years-old, it’s safe to say this won’t be the last time Gauff hoists the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.<h3>A Grand Slam debut to remember</h3>Loïs Boisson. A name to become familiar with after the Frenchwoman’s remarkable maiden Grand Slam main draw performance.The 22-year-old wildcard became the first woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in her debut since former world No. 1 Jennifer Capriati did so at the 1990 French Open. Boisson’s historic run featured shock victories over world No. 3 Jessica Pegula and world No. 6 Mirra Andreeva en route to her semifinal loss to Gauff.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ikPrkpjAW38" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The Dijon-native climbed 296 spots to 65th in the rankings after Roland-Garros, becoming the French No. 1.Canadian Victoria Mboko also had quite the Grand Slam main draw debut. Including qualifiers, the 18-year-old from Toronto didn’t drop a set in five-straight matches until her eventual <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/mbokos-breakout-run-ends-against-zheng-in-roland-garros-round-three" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">third-round loss to world No. 7 Qinwen Zheng</a>.Mboko also joins Boisson as a Top-100 newcomer, jumping to 91st.<h3>The grass begins to grow</h3>With the conclusion of Roland-Garros comes the beginning of the grass season. For the first time in 52 years, the prestigious Queen’s Club in London will host a women’s event with Zheng coming in as the top seed.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/monday-digest-busy-start-to-the-grass-season-for-canadians" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Busy Start to the Grass Season for Canadians</a>Among the field is world No. 11 Elena Rybakina, who has looked impressive at Wimbledon in recent years. The Kazakhstani has reached at least the quarter-final in three straight years, including winning the tournament in 2022.Defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will also be at the Queen’s Club, sitting one seed below fellow countrywoman Karolina Muchova. <figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8FvC0efZ5QI" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Czech players have had some success at the All-England Club, winning the last two ladies’ singles titles. Czech No. 1 Muchova would be the favourite to complete the trifecta.<h3>All winners from last week:</h3>Roland-Garros<ul><li>Women’s Singles: Coco Gauff* (1/10) d. Aryna Sabalenka</li><li>Women’s Doubles: Jasmine Paolini/Sara Errani d. Aleksandra Krunic/Anna Danilina</li></ul>*(2025 titles/career titles)The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak

Destination NBO Montreal

Destination NBO by STM: Gauff caps off clay season with Roland-Garros title

Days until National Bank Open: 46<h2>Alcaraz wins historic final at Roland-Garros</h2>On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his title at Roland-Garros in dramatic fashion.After dropping the first two sets, Alcaraz roared back to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) to win in Paris for the second-straight year.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OnN6eWAWWYA" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Down 5-3 in the third set, the champion fended off three match points to put momentum back on his side. Alcaraz became the third man in the Open Era to save at least one championship point en route to winning a Grand Slam. He is also the ninth man to rally from two sets down to win a major final.In the end, the five-set classic was the longest Roland-Garros final of the Open Era at 5 hours and 29 minutes. It was the first Roland-Garros final ever decided by a fifth-set tiebreak.The match was also the second-longest Grand Slam final ever, behind the 5 hour and 53-minute marathon between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ZwO7dz3iDE" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>With the win, the 22-year-old claims his 20th title and fifth Grand Slam championship of his career.It's the first time in his career that Sinner has lost a Grand Slam final, and the fifth consecutive time that he has lost to Alcaraz.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/change-the-game/2025/alexis-galarneau-seeking-for-help-is-a-strength-not-a-flaw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alexis Galarneau: “Seeking for help is a strength, not a flaw”</a><h2>Coming up on tour</h2>ATP 250 - StuttgartThe Boss Open begins Monday in Stuttgart, Germany.Alexander Zverev is the tournament’s top seed, while American Taylor Fritz enters as the No. 2.Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov are two of the seeds in the tournament.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dN93HF6qr1s" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Auger-Aliassime is the fourth seed and will receive a bye to the round of 16. He is looking to bounce back after giving up a two-set lead in <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/auger-aliassime-eliminated-in-roland-garros-first-round-after-two-set-lead-disappears" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his first-round loss to Matteo Arnaldi</a> at Roland-Garros.Shapovalov is the tournament's fifth seed and will take on Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the first round. <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/2025-french-open-monday-diallo-shapovalov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shapovalov reached the second round</a> at Roland-Garros but <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/2025-roland-garros-thursday-diallo-shapovalov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lost to Filip Misolic in a five-set thriller</a> after dropping the first two sets.American Ben Shelton rounds out the top five seeds at the event.ATP 250 - 's-HertogenboschThe Libema Open is also set to begin on Monday.Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev enters as the top seed, still searching for his first title of the season. Frenchman Ugo Humbert is the No. 2 seed, while Karen Khachanov, Alexei Popyrin, and Hubert Hurkacz round out the top five.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pIRazygu9zc" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Canadian Gabriel Diallo will make his first appearance at the tournament and defeated No. 79 Aleksander Vukic in the first round on Monday. The Montreal native is coming off <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/2025-french-open-monday-diallo-shapovalov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an impressive first round upset over Francisco Cerundolo</a> at Roland-Garros before <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/2025-roland-garros-thursday-diallo-shapovalov">falling in the second round to Tallon Griekspoor</a>.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/definitely-circled-week-calendar-gabriel-diallo-looking-forward-toronto-return-national-bank-open" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Diallo looking forward to Toronto return for National Bank Open</a><h2>All winners from last week:</h2>Roland-Garros●    Men’s Singles: Carlos Alcaraz* (1/20) d. Jannik Sinner ●    Men’s Doubles: Horacio Zeballos/Marcel Granollers d. Joe Salisbury/Neal SkupskiThe ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today</a>!Feature Photo : Martin Sidorjak

NBO in Focus Toronto

NBO in Focus: Alcaraz defends Roland-Garros title

The event will be bigger and better in more ways than one thanks to its <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/nbo-redefined" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new 12-day format</a> which will introduce additional players (from 56 to 96), rounds (seven instead of six), and sessions (21 instead of 15), not to mention a revamped on-site offering across the board from food and beverage to on-site activities and entertainment in <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/what-do-iga-stadium" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montreal</a> and <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/what-to-do-at-sobeys-stadium">Toronto</a>.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1920/1426;" src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Plan-your-visit/_default/New-Calendar-blue-en-1.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="1200" /></figure>*Dates, schedules, sessions, and programming are subject to change. But what does that mean for the fan experience when it comes to the match schedule and buying tickets to see even more world-class tennis from July 26-August 7? Don’t worry, let us break it down for you. If it starts to feel like déjà vu that’s because we’re approaching the Grand Slam formula.<figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/tennis-playground.webp" alt="" /></figure><h3>A Big Opening Weekend for Little Fans – Qualifying and First Round (July 26 and 27)</h3>Both cities will once again kick off their festivities with the always-popular <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/get-full-experience/montreal-activities?date=2025-07-26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IGA Family Weekend</a> in association with LEGO in Montreal and the <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/get-full-experience/toronto-activities?date=2025-07-26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">407 ETR Family Weekend</a> in Toronto which are tailormade for fans of all ages. Starting in 2025, qualifying will be a one-day affair on Saturday, July 26 with 32 players vying for a place in the main draw. In Toronto, admission is free while in Montreal, free grounds passes are available for the day as well as reserved seating on the main show courts starting for as little as $10. It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce your friends and family to tennis.In addition to plenty of kid-friendly attractions like face painting, mascots, cotton candy, and giant bubbles, both family weekends will also host the tournament’s always-popular ball hockey game (on Saturday in Montreal and on Sunday in Toronto) featuring several  of your favourite tennis stars going up against some  of hockey’s biggest names. Montreal will also welcome players from the Roses, the city’s new professional women’s soccer team to put their talent on display in a friendly game against the WTA.   <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/family-weekend-img-tor.webp" alt="" /></figure> Both family weekends will wrap up on Sunday, August 27 with a noteworthy slate of first round matchups on tap during the day and in the evening. Opening Night presented by Sobeys in Toronto and a special celebration recognizing the NBO’s 45th anniversary in Montreal will kick off the tournament in style and welcome fans into the Tennis Playground.<figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/tickets-packages/montreals-family-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244630/IGA_Family_Weekend_Montreal_CTA.webp" alt="" width="432" height="101" /></a></figure><figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/tickets-packages/torontos-family-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244629/407_ETR_Family_Weekend_CTA.webp" alt="" width="428" height="116" /></a></figure><h3>Opening Week – First, Second, and Third Rounds (July 28 – August 1)</h3>An expanded 96-player main draw means an extra round and a first-round bye for the top 32 seeds (previously, only the top 8 seeds were given byes), so more of the best players will debut on Tuesday or Wednesday. Each round up until the semi-finals will be contested over two days and players will also benefit from a day of rest between matches.The tournament will also introduce new theme days meant to celebrate some of Tennis Canada’s grassroots initiatives. Community Day  (July 28) is meant to recognize and honour the individuals and organizations—ambassadors, builders, donors, partners, and more—who have helped shape tennis across Canada. Rogers First Set Day (July 29) will allow fans to discover Tennis Canada’s national program that introduces Canadian youth to tennis in a fun, welcoming, and positive environment. National Bank Day (July 31) will be dedicated to continuing to promote gender equity in tennis and highlight inspirational women in sport. On Monday, July 28, both <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/get-full-experience/montreal-activities?date=2025-07-28" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montreal</a> and <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/get-full-experience/toronto-activities?date=2025-07-28" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Toronto</a> will host a Mental Health Panel as part of Tennis Canada’s mission to improve the well-being of all tennis players across Canada and to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all those who pick up a racquet. <figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/Opening-weekend-2images.webp" alt="" /></figure> Tickets for these sessions provide the most value for fans wanting to catch a glimpse of tennis’ biggest names and the next generation of stars.<figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/tickets-packages/montreal-single-session-tickets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244003/Montreal_Single_Session_Tickets_CTA.webp" alt="" width="432" height="101" /></a></figure><figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/tickets-packages/toronto-single-session-tickets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244004/Toronto_Single_Session_Tickets.webp" alt="" width="432" height="117" /></a></figure><h3>TennisFest– Round of 16 (August 2 and 3)</h3>The second weekend at the NBO will be must-see for every tennis fan, from the avid followers to the newcomers, as the remaining 16 players in singles go head-to-head on Centre Court for a place in the quarter-finals over two days and four sessions.<figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/Mid-week-2images.webp" alt="" /></figure> It promises to be a hot ticket, not only because of the must-see matches , but also because of the festival-like atmosphere around the grounds thanks to the plethora of activities on tap as part of TennisFest. This new thematic weekend will feature enhanced activations around three key pillars: accessibility and exploring the different ways to play tennis, entertainment, and gastronomy. This includes live music, DJ sets, a coffee party, oyster and all-day cocktail happy hours, ‘Paint &amp; Sip’ workshops, an introduction to wheelchair tennis, and much more.  Hey, if the tennis Gods are going to bless us with a weekend in the middle of our tournament, we’re going to take full advantage. Plus, fans will have the chance to show off their best vintage tennis outfits and travel back in time to remember iconic tennis moments from the past as part of Retro Night.Grounds passes to attend TennisFest are available for free in <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/get-full-experience/montreal-activities?date=2025-08-02" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montreal</a>. <figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/tickets-packages/montreal-multi-session-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244005/Montreal-Multi-Session-Packages.webp" alt="" width="433" height="101" /></a></figure><figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/tickets-packages/toronto-multi-session-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244006/Toronto-Multi-Session-Packages.webp" alt="" width="432" height="117" /></a></figure><h3>Championship Week – Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Finals (August 4-7)</h3>Speaking of a hot ticket, popular will surely be used to describe what’s on offer during week two with the final three rounds of the tournament set to be held exclusively on Centre Court and exclusively at night over a period of four days, offering more matches in primetime, elevating the experience for fans on-site and those watching from home.<figure class="image"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/Second-week-2images.webp" alt="" /></figure> The inaugural edition of NBO Redefined will culminate with the crowning of our 2025 singles and doubles champions under the lights on Thursday, August 7.Off the court, every night session during Championship Week will be brought to life with live music and unique sponsor activations thanks to Audi, Psycho Bunny, and Emirates (in <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/get-full-experience/toronto-activities?date=2025-08-04" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Toronto</a> only). In <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/tickets-packages/montreal-single-session-tickets?date=2025-08-07" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montreal</a>, there will be an after-party on-site at the conclusion of singles and doubles finals. Given these additional opportunities to enjoy the excitement of a live sporting event, our ticket options provide you the flexibility to hand pick the products that best suits your schedule, your passion for tennis, and your budget. There’s something for everyone including the diehard fan who is eager to attend all 21 sessions and share the ultimate tennis experience with their guest list.   <h3>Stronger Together: UNMATCHED Gender Equity Conference is coming to the NBO</h3>Tennis Canada announced that not only will the fourth edition of the <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/game-set-equity/unmatched-conference" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNMATCHED Gender Equity in Sports Conference</a> presented by National Bank be held on-site at the tournament in Toronto on Tuesday, August 5 prior to the quarter-finals, but the conference is also expanding to include a much-anticipated landmark event in Montreal on Wednesday, August 6 at IGA Stadium before the semi-finals are staged.Basketball legend <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/profiles/dawn-staley" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dawn Staley</a> will be the keynote speaker in Toronto with more inspiring speakers and panelists  set to be unveiled for both cities in the coming weeks. Buy your tickets now for the conferences in <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/game-set-equity/unmatched-conference/unmatched-montreal-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Montreal</a> and <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/game-set-equity/unmatched-conference/unmatched-toronto-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Toronto</a>. Plus, <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/game-set-equity/unmatched-conference/unmatched-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sign up</a> to receive information about the speaker lineup, event details as well as themes and topics.  <figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:600/600;" src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_medium/12323826/Dawn-Staley.webp" alt="" width="600" height="600" /></figure><h3>Some Important NBO Dates to Remember:</h3>July 2 and 3: Player List announcements in Toronto and MontrealJuly 20: Road to NBO wildcard recipients announcedJuly 21: NBO top seeds announcedJuly 25 and 26: Official draw ceremonies in Toronto and MontrealJuly 26: Qualifying matches are contested in both citiesJuly 27: Main draw play begins, highlighted by an Opening Night ceremonyJuly 28: Community Day featuring a Mental Health PanelJuly 29: Rogers First Set DayJuly 31: National Bank Day August 2-3: TennisFest Weekend August 2: Retro Night August 4: Psycho Bunny Night August 5: Emirates Night (in Toronto only) August 6: Audi Night August 5 and 6: UNMATCHED Gender Equity Conference in Toronto and MontrealAugust 7: Singles and Doubles Finals (with after-party in Montreal only)<figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/tickets-packages/montreal-full-event-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244007/Montreal_Full_Event_Packages_CTA.webp" alt="" width="433" height="101" /></a></figure><figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/tickets-packages/toronto-full-event-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/_default/12244008/Toronto_Full_Event_Packages.webp" alt="" width="432" height="117" /></a></figure><h3>The 2025 National Bank Open may mark the dawn of a new era for tennis in Canada, but the familiarity of its welcoming nature, vibrant energy, and electric atmosphere will still make it feel like the good old days.</h3>Access all Montreal ticket options here &#x1f447; <figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/12287088/250304-NBO-Phase3-Campaign-600x250_obn_phase3_owned_email_header_v2_en.webp" alt="" /></a> </figure>Access all Toronto ticket options here &#x1f447;<figure><a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/12287086/250304-NBO-Phase3-Campaign-600x250_nbo_phase3_owned_email_header_v2_en.webp" alt="" /></a></figure> DID YOU KNOW THAT THE NBO IS A TENNIS CANADA EVENT?By attending the tournament, you are <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/donate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contributing to a brighter future for tennis in Canada.</a>

Tournament News

Off Court

The Ultimate Ticket Guide to the 2025 NBO Redefined Experience

Entering the main draw as a wild card at the 2023 National Bank Open in Toronto, the Montreal-native had a chance to shine against then world. No 21 Daniel Evans in the first round.Only one year removed from his ATP debut in Montreal, Diallo stunned the 2023 Washington champion, earning the biggest win of his career up to that point. <figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NqXTkyEfRRc" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The shock victory was Diallo’s first in an ATP main draw match, a career-defining moment for the Canadian which makes his return to Toronto this summer that much more significant.“That week, it’s always a special time for me,” Diallo told the media ahead of Roland-Garros. “[In Toronto] getting that first tour-level win and beating a player with the caliber of Dan Evans was very special.”Diallo lost in the following round in two tight sets against eventual runner-up Alex de Minaur, bowing out in front of a passionate home crowd.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-week-1-books-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">This Week in Tennis - Week 1 in the books at RG</a>“The atmosphere for both of my matches were cool. Really looking forward to [returning],” said Diallo.Fast forward to 2025, the 22-year-old’s expectations will be quite different heading into the Ontarian capital. Diallo has climbed nearly 100 spots up the ATP rankings since his maiden tour-level main draw win, reaching a career-high ranking of 53 just prior to the French Open. During his quest to crack the Top 50, the Canadian No. 3 also earned a career-best result at a big event, finishing as a <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/diallo-upsets-dimitrov-to-reach-first-masters-1000-quarter-final-in-madrid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">quarter-finalist at this year’s Madrid Open</a>.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mSf4jehaZKA" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>However, beyond his growing expectations, Diallo is just focused on the opportunity to play in front of a Canadian crowd once again.“To play at home, it's not something that we get a lot of as Canadians,” explained Diallo. “Maybe we get Davis Cup once or twice a year, so it's something that I don't take for granted. Definitely circled that week in the calendar.”Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/halifax-set-to-host-world-cup-of-tennis-as-team-canada-heads-to-east-coast-for-davis-cup-tie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Halifax set to host World Cup of Tennis</a>The 2025 National Bank Open will be the second time Diallo has played on home soil this year. The Montreal-native played in his hometown in Canada’s Davis Cup tie against Hungary in January.The ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 27 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak

Features

“Definitely circled that week in the calendar,” Gabriel Diallo looking forward to Toronto return for National Bank Open

<h2>Defending Champions Rolling</h2>Iga Swiatek continues her march towards an open-era-record fourth consecutive championship in Paris. The world No. 5 reached the quarter-finals on Sunday with a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 comeback win over 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.Swiatek dropped eight of the first nine games before rallying for the victory. She is now 39-2 in her career at Roland-Garros. The <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/wta-power-rankings-challengers-aiming-dethrone-swiatek-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">five-time Grand Slam winner</a> is trying to break out of a slump that has seen her fail to reach a final this season. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/atp-power-rankings-will-roland-garros-alcarazs-coronation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Men’s defending champion Carlos Alcaraz</a> stamped his ticket to the quarters on Sunday with four-set victory over Ben Shelton. It was the 100th tour-level win on clay for the 22-year-old, as he looks to become the third man this century to successfully defend his Roland Garros title, joining Rafael Nadal (10 times) and Gustavo Kuerten (2001).<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7GsoYXIl1Is" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/mbokos-breakout-run-ends-against-zheng-in-roland-garros-round-three" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mboko’s Breakout Run Ends Against Zheng in Roland-Garros Round Three</a><h2>Top Seeds Doing Damage</h2>The top seeds in both the women's and men's draws got the job done over the first week in Paris.For the first time since the 2005 Australian Open, all of the top-eight seeded women reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam. After winning his <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-djokovic-wins-100th-title" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">100th tour-level title last week in Geneva</a>, Novak Djokovic continues to rack up the accolades as he reached the fourth round at Roland-Garros for the 16th consecutive year with his win over qualifier Filip Misolic on Saturday. He is now 99-16 in Paris in his career and in his search of his fourth title at Roland-Garros.No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner continued his dominance in big matches, cruising to a 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 third-round win over Jiri Lehecka to extend his unbeaten streak at Grand Slams to 17 straight matches. At just 1 hour and 34 minutes, it was the shortest men’s match at Roland-Garros this year.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qYpfl6DiOXA" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/2025-roland-garros-thursday-diallo-shapovalov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shapovalov, Diallo unable to complete comebacks in Roland-Garros second round</a><h2>American Men Making Waves</h2>It’s been the most successful week for American men at Roland-Garros in 30 years. Tommy Paul, Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe reached the fourth round in Paris, the first time since Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, and Jim Courier reached Week 2 back in 1995.Two will continue on their quest to become the first American man to win at Roland-Garros since Agassi in 1999.<a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/monday-digest-mboko-stands-out-amongst-canadians-at-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click Here for more news about Canadian tennis.</a>Paul advanced to the quarters with a straight-set win over Alexei Popyrin while Tiafoe continues the best run of his career at the event, reaching the quarter-final for the first time after a win over Daniel Altmaier. Next up, Paul will face Alcaraz in the quarters while Tiafoe will battle Lorenzo Musetti, who reached his first Roland-Garros quarter-final by beating Holger Rune on Sunday.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/auger-aliassime-eliminated-in-roland-garros-first-round-after-two-set-lead-disappears" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Auger-Aliassime eliminated in Roland-Garros first round after two-set lead disappears</a>The ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 27 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo : Martin Sidorjak

This Week in Tennis: Week 1 in the books at Roland-Garros

<h2>Djokovic joins 100-win club in Geneva</h2>Novak Djokovic reached another milestone on Saturday, defeating Hubert Hurkacz in the Geneva Open Final to win the 100th singles title of his career.The 38-year-old joins Jimmy Connors, who holds the record with 109 singles titles, and Roger Federer (103) as the only men with 100 tournament wins in the Open era.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KGJS2sIpJrg" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>It’s been nine months since Djokovic won his 99th title at the Paris Olympics at Roland-Garros. He reached two finals in his quest for 100 but fell to Jakub Mensik in Miami this past March and Jannik Sinner in Shanghai last October.The Serbian becomes the first man in the Open Era to win a title in 20 different seasons, with his first title coming at Amersfoort in July 2006.Djokovic now heads back to Paris looking to win his fourth title at Roland-Garros and 25th Grand Slam.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/auger-aliassimes-hamburg-run-ends-in-semis-against-rublev" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Auger-Aliassime's Hamburg Run Ends in Semis Against Rublev</a><h2>Rybakina ends drought in Strasbourg</h2>Elena Rybakina snapped a year-long title drought on Saturday, defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-1 to win the Internationaux de Strasbourg title.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hwp-xo4EOs" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The 2022 Wimbledon champion had not reached a final or won a title since winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April 2024.Rybakina now has momentum heading to Roland-Garros, where she enters as the No. 12 seed in search of her second-career Grand Slam title.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/wta-power-rankings-challengers-aiming-dethrone-swiatek-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Challengers Aiming to Dethrone Swiatek at Roland-Garros</a><h2>Rafa’s Roland-Garros Farewell</h2>Rafael Nadal was honoured on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday as a farewell ceremony at Roland-Garros, the tournament he won a record 14 times in his illustrious career.Nadal, who retired last year, received a standing ovation and thunderous applause from the crowd in the 15,000-seat stadium.“This is tough," Nadal said. "Good evening, everyone. I don’t know where to start after playing on this court for the past 20 years. Winning, losing — but especially being moved every time I’ve had the chance to be here.”<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jMaSEkv1OIw" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>He was greeted on court by career rivals Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray.The Spaniard was 112-4 all-time at Roland-Garros and 14-0 in finals at the event.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/atp-power-rankings-will-roland-garros-alcarazs-coronation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Will Roland-Garros be Alcaraz’s Coronation?</a><h2>All winners from last week:</h2>ATP 500 - Hamburg●    Men’s Singles: Flavio Cobolli* (2/2) d. Andrey Rublev ●    Men’s Doubles: Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori d. Andres Molteni/Fernando RomboliATP 250 - Geneva●    Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic* (1/100) d. Hubert Hurkacz ●    Men’s Doubles: Sadio Doumbia/Fabien Reboul d. Ariel Behar/Joran VliegenWTA 500 - Strasbourg●    Women’s Singles: Elena Rybakina* (1/9) d. Liudmila Samsonova ●    Women’s Doubles: Timea Babos/Luisa Stefani d. Hanyu Guo/Nicole Malichar-MartinezWTA 250 - Rabat●    Women’s Singles: Maya Joint* (1/1) d. Jaqueline Cristian ●    Women’s Doubles: Maya Joint/Oksana Kalashnikova d. Angelica Moratelli/Camilla Rosatello* 2025 Titles/Career Titles<a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/monday-digest-fast-start-for-canadians-at-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click Here for more news about Canadian tennis.</a>The ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 27 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo : ATP Tour

This Week in Tennis: Djokovic wins 100th title

A second French Open title for Carlos Alcaraz would likely cement the young Spaniard’s succession to his retired countryman’s throne as the King of Clay. But it won't be easy.There are plenty of players who likely sense an opportunity to claim the clay major, including a recently-returned World No. 1 who seems as strong as ever.The National Bank Open Power Rankings evaluate the challengers for the throne in Paris.(Brackets indicate change in position since <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/atp-power-rankings-who-will-fill-kings-void-clay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the last edition of the Power Rankings</a> from before the start of the clay season)<h3>1) Carlos Alcaraz (-)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 2</li><li>2025 Record: 30-5</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Monte-Carlo and Rome Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Champion (2024)</li></ul>As the man many are calling the next King of Clay, Alcaraz has certainly shown why he’s the heir presumptive to the throne. The former World No. 1 has had a near-perfect start to the clay season, with his only loss coming in the Barcelona final to Holger Rune.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ebUixP8eMEw" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Alcaraz withdrew from Madrid but won in Monte-Carlo and Rome, becoming the first player to win multiple clay Masters 1000 titles in a season since Rafael Nadal. That’s some good company to be a part of as Alcaraz looks to be the first man to defend the Roland-Garros crown since, of course, Nadal.- Francesco<h3>2) Jannik Sinner (+3)</h3><ul style="padding-left:48px;"><li>Actual Ranking: 1</li><li>2025 Record: 12-1</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome Runner-Up</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2024)</li></ul>The world No. 1’s return to the tour after a three-month absence could not have gone much better. Sinner barely looked like he had missed a beat, cruising into the Rome final in his first tournament since the Australian OpenSure, he lost that final to Alcaraz, but that would have been an acceptable defeat even if Sinner had been playing a regular schedule. No shame in that loss.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-sinner-returns-rome" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sinner Returns in Rome</a>There is little reason to doubt that Sinner will be ready to make a push for his first non-hard court Slam at Roland-Garros. While he has never won a big clay title (yet), he has had plenty of deep runs, including coming within a set of the final last year in Paris.- Pete<h3>3) Casper Ruud (+1)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 7</li><li>2025 Record: 24-7</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Madrid Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (two times)</li></ul>Ruud’s love for clay certainly shows in his play. The Norwegian won his first Masters 1000 title in Madrid this year, his 12th ATP title on the dirt. His triumph in the Spanish capital included impressive victories against Top 10 seeds Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jack Draper.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q6f2oU1HVDM" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The 26-year-old’s best Grand Slam has without a doubt been the French Open. Ruud has reached at least the semifinal for three-straight years, finishing as runner-up on two occasions. Could third time be a charm if Ruud is able to reach yet another final at Roland-Garros?- Francesco<h3>4) Alexander Zverev (-1)</h3><ul style="padding-left:48px;"><li>Actual Ranking: 3</li><li>2025 Record: 24-9</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Munich Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (2024)</li></ul>It would be fair to look at Zverev’s recent results and wonder if he should be among the favourites at Roland-Garros. The thing is, the German has a tendency to have some cold streaks heading into big events only to perform well.And he did win the title at the 500 event in Munich.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LzmuVk-cwLk" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>At the end of the day, Zverev is the defending runner-up in Paris and has performed well throughout his career at big clay events. He has also been super consistent at Roland-Garros. He has reached at least the fourth round every year since 2017 and has gotten to the semis in the last four editions of the Parisian major.- Pete<h3>5) Jack Draper (+5)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 5</li><li>2025 Record: 22-6</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Madrid Runner-Up</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: 1R (two times)</li></ul>Last year’s clay season wasn’t the kindest to Draper. The British No. 1 didn’t make it out of the second round of a big clay event. But this year, the 23-year-old looks to have gotten accustomed to the dirt.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/tennis-canada-agrees-multi-year-partnership-sustainability-consultant-organization-strives-world-leader-2030" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tennis Canada agrees to multi-year partnership with sustainability consultant as organization strives to be world leader by 2030</a>Draper had notable wins against Tommy Paul and Lorenzo Musetti en route to finishing as the runner-up in Madrid. He then managed a quarter-final finish in Rome, losing to eventual winner Alcaraz. The Brit is ranked a career-high fifth in the ATP rankings so that should give Draper a favourable draw as he looks for his first Roland-Garros main draw win.- Francesco<h3>6) Lorenzo Musetti (New)</h3><ul style="padding-left:48px;"><li>Actual Ranking: 8</li><li>2025 Record: 20-7</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Monte Carlo Runner-Up</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Fourth Round (twice)</li></ul>After Alcaraz, Musetti may have been the next-best player on clay this spring. The Italian is the only player to have reached the semifinals or better at all three clay Masters 1000 events this year, including his maiden Masters 1000 final in Monte Carlo.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TjoPCr4jc58" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>He should also be confident at the Porte D’Auteuil. The last time he was there, Musetti had an Olympic bronze medal draped around his neck. There is plenty of reason to believe that Musetti can post his best-ever result at Roland-Garros over the coming weeks.- Pete<h3>7) Holger Rune (-)</h3><ul style="padding-left:48px;"><li>Actual Ranking: 10</li><li>2025 Record: 17-11</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Barcelona Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (Twice)</li></ul>It has been a bit of a boom-bust first half of the year for Rune, but that kind of feels like the norm for him. He reached the final of Indian Wells back in March, but has not gotten past the third round of a Masters 1000 event since.However, he also <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-rune-stuns-alcaraz-barcelona" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">won the title in Barcelona</a>, handing (an albeit injured) Alcaraz his lone defeat on clay this year in the final. He also beat the soon-to-be Madrid champion Ruud on his way to the title.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fZh5q73PX6A" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Rune has plenty of experience in big matches and is capable of beating practically anyone on any given day if he has his best tennis.- Pete<h3>8) Novak Djokovic (-6)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 6</li><li>2025 Record: 12-7</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Geneva Semifinal</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Champion (three times)</li></ul>One of the greatest of all time. Normally, not much else needs to be said about Djokovic, but the former world No. 1 has struggled this clay season. The Belgrade-native lost in his opening match in both Monte Carlo and Madrid, the first time he has <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-djokovic-struggles-madrid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lost two straight opening matches</a> since 2018.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBzLCqFtL5Q" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>However, Djokovic’s accolades speak for themselves. The 38-year-old has won a record 24 Grand Slams, three of which came at Roland-Garros. The Serb also won a gold medal on the dirt in Paris just last year, defeating Alcaraz in two tiebreakers.- Francesco<h3>9) Alex de Minaur (New)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 9</li><li>2025 Record: 26-10</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Monte-Carlo Semifinal</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (2024)</li></ul>De Minaur has had some consistency on the dirt as of late. The Australian No. 1 has made it to at least the round of 16 in his last six ATP clay court tournaments, including a semifinal finish in Monte Carlo this year.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/change-the-game/2025/wheelchair-update-shaw-gearing-up-for-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shaw Gearing up for RG</a>The 26-year-old had notable wins against Medvedev and Denis Shapovalov, but was eliminated by Top 12 opponents at all three clay Masters events. If de Minaur is able to get a big win at Roland-Garros, he could find himself in his first-career Grand Slam semifinal.- Francesco<h3>10) Tommy Paul (New)</h3><ul style="padding-left:48px;"><li>Actual Ranking: 12</li><li>2025 Record: 21-8</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome SF</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Third Round (2024)</li></ul>Among the Americans, Tommy Paul is the strongest on clay. He has a particular affinity for Rome, having reached back-to-back semifinals in the eternal city.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vgeo1OnfETo" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>So far this year on clay, he has secured wins over Joao Fonseca, Karen Khachanov, and Alex de Minaur. In Rome, he even pushed Sinner to three sets in their semifinal clash.- PeteThe National Bank Open Power Rankings are a group collaboration by the Power Rankings Panel which includes:<ul><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/peteb93.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pete Borkowski</a> – Manager of Editorial and Player Coverage, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/boydmel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Melissa Boyd</a> – Content Writer, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/ChampagneSJade" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sarah-Jade Champagne</a> – Content Specialist, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://x.com/JChan_811" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jonathan Chan</a> - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/EddieJonesLee" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edward Lee</a> – Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/hulight" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hugues Leger</a> – Producer, Podcast Sur La Ligne</li><li><a href="https://x.com/Charobillardmi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlotte Robillard-Millette</a> – Communications Coordinator, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/SanterreAbraham" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Abraham Santerre</a> – Content Creator, Podcast Sur La Ligne</li><li>Patrick Steski - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/franny_t1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Francesco Tosini</a> - Content Writer, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://x.com/raviubha" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ravi Ubha</a> - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li></ul>2025 Roland-Garros Predictions:Champion:  <ul><li>Pete: Carlos Alcaraz  </li><li>Mel: Jannik Sinner  </li><li>Sarah-Jade: Novak Djokovic  </li><li>Jonathan: Jannik Sinner  </li><li>Eddie: Carloz Alcaraz  </li><li>Hugues: Carlos Alcaraz  </li><li>Pat: Carlos Alcaraz  </li><li>Francesco: Jannik Sinner  </li><li>Ravi: Carlos Alcaraz  </li></ul>Dark Horse:  <ul><li>Pete: Arthur Fils  </li><li>Mel: Arthur Fils  </li><li>Jonathan: Francisco Cerundolo  </li><li>Eddie: Francisco Cerundolo  </li><li>Hugues: Arthur Fils  </li><li>Pat: Mateo Arnaldi  </li><li>Francesco: Francisco Cerundolo  </li><li>Ravi: Francisco Cerundolo  </li></ul>Bold Prediction:  <ul><li>Pete: Jack Draper does not reach the third round.</li><li>Mel: Novak Djokovic does not make it through the first week.  </li><li>Sarah-Jade: Novak Djokovic will win his last Grand Slam singles title.  </li><li>Jonathan: Joao Fonseco will reach the quarter-finals.  </li><li>Eddie: Novak Djokovic does not make it past the first week.  </li><li>Pat: Carlos Alcaraz will not drop a set until the semis.  </li><li>Francesco: Alexander Zverev will be eliminated before the quarter-final  </li><li>Ravi: Joao Fonseca reaches the second week.   </li></ul>The ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 27 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak

Experts

ATP Power Rankings: Will Roland-Garros be Alcaraz’s Coronation?

She addressed a wide range of topics including Aryna Sabalenka’s dominance, Mirra Andreeva’s emergence, Bianca Andreescu’s return, the tournament’s redefined culinary experience for 2025, and much more. *The following interview has been edited purely for clarity and flow purposes.Tennis Canada: You just came back from Madrid where you attended WTA meetings and took in the sights at the Mutua Madrid Open. What were some of the highlights from the trip? Valérie Tétreault: It was a great week at the Madrid tournament. This is the second year in a row that the ATP and WTA have held their meetings there. Normally, there are two key moments in the year when several meetings are held for tournament directors around the world. First in Madrid and then at the U.S. Open. I'd say there's a lot going on at the moment, with lots of things happening in the tennis world, so there were several important and interesting updates from both the WTA and ATP. At the end of the day, it's always interesting to be out there building relationships, talking to people who are organizing other tournaments elsewhere. It's always an opportunity to pick up new ideas or things we think might work well here, so I'd say it's time well spent. Unfortunately, this year I didn't have much time to visit the site and enjoy the tournament. But I followed with interest the announcement of their second match court and what's to come. They're talking about an 8,000-seat stadium, while we're still working on our feasibility study for the IGA Stadium modernization project.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://youtu.be/lYWahfmtAZk?si=cvkmiKlGDPJ0T24s" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>T.C.: We recently announced our new caterers for the 2025 National Bank Open. How crucial is a revamped food and beverage offering going to be as part of the tournament’s 12-day programming and to the new Tennis Playground brand identity?V.T.:  For me, when we talk about customer experience, it's clear that there's one part that's mainly focused on the tennis aspect of the tournament in other words, what happens on the courts, and then there's the other part, which is what happens on-site, and for me, I'd say that <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/a-playground-foodies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the food and beverage component</a> plays a big part in improving the customer experience. Tennis events are different from other sports in that people spend many hours at the National Bank Open. Which means that, inevitably, at some point they'll end up eating or drinking something while they're here, so it's really part of their experience.  I like to say that at the NBO, we're memory makers, and I think we all agree that in life, most of the memories we cherish are sharing with others and often it's associated with something you've eaten, so for me it's an important part. And I think the timing was right given the expansion of the tournament, the fact that we're entering a new era for the NBO, we wanted to redefine the experience and now we're really going to offer something that is completely revamped. The menus won't be the same as what people experienced last year. We're working with three new caterers, and each will be concentrating on a slightly more specific area of business. We're bringing in expertise through our partnership with Sodexo Live, who are involved in most of the world's biggest tennis tournaments including the French Open, the Australian Open, and Indian Wells. I'm excited because I think it's going to bring new opportunities that people are going to appreciate.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:919/350;" src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/news/_default/12302470/Sodexo-Nachos.webp" alt="" width="919" height="350" /></figure>T.C.: Speaking of programming, we also recently announced the first batch of on-site activities for this year’s tournament with some exciting additions to the schedule. What are you most excited about? V.T.: I'm really excited our <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/the-ultimate-ticket-guide-2025-nbo-redefined-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">on-site programming</a>! It's fun because I feel like we're trying something new this year. We're definitely not copying and pasting. It's a lot of work to come up with new initiatives, but I think it also motivates us.I'm inclined to name two things I'm particularly excited about. The first, given the new format, was the opportunity to create a second weekend of programming. We're well aware of the popularity of our Family Weekend, which aims to make tennis more accessible to families, to give people who have never had a connection with tennis the opportunity to do so. With our second weekend, we wanted to create another experience but still with the same goal of making tennis more accessible, so we created what we're going to call Tennis FEST. The aim is to introduce people to tennis in all its forms. To create interesting experiences from a culinary point of view and to make sure there's a festive atmosphere on site. A big tennis party in Montreal!READ: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/wta-power-rankings-challengers-aiming-dethrone-swiatek-roland-garros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WTA Power Rankings: Challengers Aiming to Dethrone Swiatek at Roland-Garros</a>The other event I'd like to mention is the UNMATCHED Conference. We've had one in Toronto for a few years now, <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/change-game/game-set-equity/unmatched-conference/unmatched-montreal-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">focusing on gender equity in sport</a>, and now we're bringing it to Montreal on the day of our semi-finals, and we're working hard right now to confirm who our panelists will be. But I think it's going to be a pretty unique conference in terms of what else is on offer in Montreal right now. As we all know, women's sports are booming, and our aim is to demonstrate that by working together, we can better position them. I think this will be an opportunity to bring everyone together and inspire everyone.T.C.: We’re less than 100 days away from the start of the tournament. How are preparations going? V.T.: Of course, <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/100-days-out-from-2025-national-bank-open-presented-rogers-first-ever-expanded-program-revealed" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">when we reach the 100 days to go mark</a> before the tournament, the nerves build up a little and so does the intensity. There's a greater sense of urgency to make decisions and start executing. It's fun in the office because this is the time of year when we welcome employees who come to help us during the summer. Preparations are well under way. I think everything's starting to fall into place, and ticket sales are going really well too. The further along we get, the more I really feel that this 2025 tournament is going to be special, and I'm convinced that in 20 years' time, when we think about the historic highlights of the National Bank Open, the 2025 edition will be one of them.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:678/797;" src="https://assets.nationalbankopen.com/production/Playground-assets/_default/Image-intro-test.webp" alt="" width="678" height="797" /></figure>T.C.: Aryna Sabalenka has established herself as the best player in the world right now. Not to mention that she’s popular everywhere she goes, including Montreal What makes her such a great ambassador for women’s tennis? V.T.: We've been following her for a few years now. I think she's found a way to channel all that energy inside her to find the consistency she lacked at the start of her career. Aryna is impressive to watch. It seems like every week she's the one who has to start as the favourite in the draw, no matter what surface, to win the tournament. I think her popularity comes from the fact that she's authentic on the court. People like to see the emotions, she has a lot of power, there's a real curiosity to see that. I think people appreciate her personality beyond her performances. She's funny, she's able to bring a different flavour and her own colour to tennis. There are a lot of young players starting out now who idolize Aryna Sabalenka. It's starting to remind me of the Maria Sharapova years.T.C.: Mirra Andreeva has officially arrived. What impresses you most about her? V.T.: It's been incredible to watch Mirra Andreeva since the beginning of the season. she's been identified as one of, if not the best prospect on the WTA Tour for some time now. I think it's fair to say that she's no longer the player of tomorrow, but the player of today. What I like about her is that she really enjoys what she's doing, and you can feel that. Even we have a bit of a smile on our faces when we watch her play. Despite her young age, she's already mature enough to be able to handle all the emotions she might feel on a tennis court, especially when the pressure's on. It's early, but that's what convinces me she's here to stay. In her case, I really.feel like she has the make up of a champion. Her tennis sense too. Yes, she can hit with great power but she also reads the game really well and knows how to adapt her strategy depending on who's on the other side of the net. All that and she just turned 18. If there's one player I'm particularly looking forward to seeing in Montreal, it's Mirra Andreeva.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GxRhiRvlgzM?si=_I6tMb5DtXL98wEp" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>T.C.: During our last conversation, I asked you about the fast-rising Canadians making a name for themselves at the pro level. This time, I have to ask you about a player who everyone knows: Bianca Andreescu. She started her much-anticipated comeback during the clay season. How meaningful and important is it to have a healthy Bianca back playing, both for the WTA and for the OBN? V.T.: I'm relieved and very happy to see Bianca Andreescu back on the court. We know how challenging it's been for her in recent years, since that incredible season she had in 2019. Unfortunately, the pandemic slowed her progress and then the injury bug hit which meant that every time she got back into the swing of things, there was another setback, and she had to take time away from tennis. But every time she makes a comeback, it's impressive how quickly she can find her best level, become competitive and a threat to the top players in the world. I'm sure none of the top seeds want to see Bianca in their section draw, because she's still such a dangerous player.It's great news for Canadian tennis. She became the first player to win a Grand Slam singles title, so she's left a major mark on the history of Canadian tennis, and I think she can still do a lot more. I think she's been a great role model for many young players. For the WTA, Bianca has always attracted crowds to her matches.  I think a lot of people enjoy watching her play. She's spectacular to watch, she has a lot of tools in her bag, so it's only positive if Bianca can find her best form again, and that's the first thing I hope for her so that she can play a full season healthy. I'd also like for her to have the chance to make new, more positive memories at the Montreal tournament. Because we all remember that the last time she was here, she was injured and had to take a long break. She has already won the NBO, but that was in Toronto. I can't wait to see what kind of momentum she can build up before coming to Montreal. She knows IGA Stadium very well, having trained here before. I think our fans will be anxious to see her again and they will be fully behind her when steps onto the court.

Q & A: NBO Montreal Tournament Director Valérie Tétreault on Sabalenka, Andreescu, Andreeva & What’s New in the Tennis Playground

So if not Swiatek, then who?But also.... why not Iga?With intrigue swirling around the second Grand Slam event of 2025, the National Bank Open Power Rankings are back to examine of the most interesting field in Paris in years.(Brackets indicate change in position since the last edition of the Power Rankings from <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/wta-power-rankings-can-swiatek-reassert-clay-dominance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the start of the clay season</a>.)<h3>1) Aryna Sabalenka (-)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 1</li><li>2025 record: 34-6</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Madrid Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2023)</li></ul>It may be an obvious statement given her ranking, but Aryna Sabalenka is the best female tennis player on planet earth right now, regardless of the surface. Period.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LuJqjgG8kpA" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Madrid may not be the best indicator of Roland-Garros success given the altitude and speed of the court, but the way Sabalenka <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-sabalenka-continues-impressive-season-madrid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tore that draw apart</a> shows just how comfortable she is right now on the dirt. Other than a sluggish February, the world No. 1 has come to play at every big event, reaching the final at three of the last four WTA 1000 events, winning two.  Sabalenka also reached the final at two of her three clay-court tournaments this spring. This may be her best chance to claim her first major off of hard court.- Pete<h3>2) Coco Gauff (+1)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 2</li><li>2025 Record: 24-8</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome and Madrid Runner-Up</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (2022)</li></ul>Gauff was so close – yet so far – from hoisting her first-career big clay title. The 21-year-old made the final in both Madrid and Rome, her best result at each tournament. Unfortunately for Gauff, she couldn’t get the better of world No. 1 Sabalenka or crowd-favourite Jasmine Paolini, losing in straight sets on both occasions.Read also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/tennis-canada-agrees-multi-year-partnership-sustainability-consultant-organization-strives-world-leader-2030" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tennis Canada agrees to multi-year partnership with sustainability consultant as organization strives to be world leader by 2030</a>However, it’s impossible to ignore her results on the dirt in recent years. Gauff has made at least the semifinal in her last four big clay appearances. At Roland-Garros alone, the American No. 1 has made at least the quarter-final four straight times as she looks to turn consistency into triumph this year.- Francesco<h3>3) Jasmine Paolini (+2)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 4</li><li>2025 Record: 22-8</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (2024)</li></ul>After reaching her maiden Grand Slam final last year at Roland-Garros, Paolini had some impressive performances on her return to the clay. The 29-year-old earned <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-may-20-alcaraz-paolini-rule-rome" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">her first-career WTA clay court title</a>, powered by a passionate home crowd in Rome.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sGrXpsVYDqU" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The Italian No. 1 beat world No. 2 Gauff in straight sets in that Italian Open final, a month after defeating the American in two sets on the dirt in Stuttgart. Paolini’s only concern was in Madrid, winning just three games in her round of 32 loss to Maria Sakkari.- Francesco<h3>4) Iga Swiatek (-2)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 5</li><li>2025 record: 27-9</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Madrid SF</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Champion (Four times)</li></ul>The Queen of Clay is in the midst of her longest dry spell since winning her first title, which was at Roland-Garros, in October 2020. While she has been very consistent in the big events, reaching the quarters or better at every WTA 1000 except for Rome this year, she has not reached a final at any level since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen last June. Her losses to Gauff and Danielle Collins in Madrid and Rome were both concerning straight-set defeats.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xxs1BudXmWM" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>That said, Swiatek has been able to turn things around at Roland-Garros before. In two of her four title runs, she arrived in Paris without having won one of Rome or Madrid in the lead-up. Like Rafael Nadal before her, the Pole is a different beast on Court Philippe Chatrier. Her aura alone could carry her a long way.  - Pete<h3>5) Mirra Andreeva (-1)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 6</li><li>2025 Record: 27-7</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome and Madrid QF</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2024)</li></ul>At just 18 years old, experience is far from in question when it comes to Andreeva. After <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/this-week-tennis-draper-andreeva-take-indian-wells" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">back-to-back WTA 1000 wins</a> to start the year, the world No. 6 is back on the surface where she made her mark in 2024.This year in Madrid, Andreeva’s run ended in the quarter-finals against Gauff. Then it was deja vu in Rome, losing to the American in the quarter-final again. Nevertheless, both results were her best at a WTA 1000 clay event as she continues to look impressive on clay. That’s not what her opponents will want to hear, considering Andreeva made the Roland-Garros semifinal a year ago.- Francesco<h3>6) Qinwen Zheng (+2)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 8</li><li>2025 record: 13-8</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Rome SF</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Fourth Round (2022)</li></ul>Zheng made a statement earlier this month with her semifinal run in Rome, taking out world No. 1 Sabalenka in straight sets in the quarter-finals. She very nearly made the final, barely being edged out by Gauff in the semis.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TK3kISIbmh0" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>For the most part, Zheng has been pretty consistent recently, reaching at least the quarter-finals at three of the last four WTA 1000 events. She also has a good record on clay, with three of her five career titles coming on the surface.It is worth mentioning that the biggest match win and tournament victory of Zheng’s career came at Stade Roland-Garros, just not during the French Open. Last July, she defeated Swiatek in the semis on her way to an Olympic gold medal on the dirt in Paris. She will have plenty of positivity to draw on during the upcoming fortnight at the same venue.- Pete<h3>7) Jessica Pegula (-1)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 3</li><li>2025 record: 28-9</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Charleston Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (2022)</li></ul>Pegula’s sheer consistency has earned her a Top 4 seed heading into the second major of the year. While she has not had any flashy results on the European dirt, she was red hot at the end of March and in early April, reaching the Miami final and then kicking off her clay season with a title at home in Charleston.Read also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/victoria-celebrates-day-two-in-paris" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Victoria Celebrates Day Two in Paris</a>The European clay was not so kind to the world No. 3, but she has been able to pick up match wins in every event she has played in the leadup to Roland-Garros. She missed last year’s French Open with an injury but is only a couple of years removed from a quarter-final run, her best result in Paris.- Pete<h3>8) Elina Svitolina (New)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 13</li><li>2025 Record: 25-8</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Madrid Semifinal, Rouen Champion</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (four times)</li></ul>Svitolina is the lowest-ranked player on this list, but she has every reason to be in this spot. The world No. 13 only dropped two sets in her last 14 matches on the dirt, her biggest win coming against Elena Rybakina en route to a semifinal in Madrid.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TIODDJPOHhI" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The 30-year-old’s result in the Spanish capital was her best big clay result since she won the Italian Open back in 2018. After a quarter-final in Rome this year and a win in Rouen, Svitolina’s back at her best on the clay as she looks to break her Roland-Garros quarter-final curse.- Francesco<h3>9) Madison Keys (-2)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 7</li><li>2025 record: 24-6</li><li>Notable Recent Results: Madrid QF</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2018)</li></ul>There is only ever one player heading into Roland-Garros with a chance to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam. This year, it’s Madison Keys.The Australian Open champion has cooled off a bit since her incredible start to the season but has still had some strong performances. Her best result recently came in Madrid, where she reached the quarter-finals and pushed Swiatek to three sets.Read also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/triple-play-for-the-canadian-women-at-rgtriple-play-for-the-canadian-women-at-rg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Triple Play for the Canadian Women at RG</a>It has been a while since Keys went on a deep run at Roland-Garros, but she is no stranger to the late rounds. She reached the semis and quarters in back-to-back years back in 2018 and 2019.- Pete<h3>10) Diana Shnaider (New)</h3><ul><li>Actual Ranking: 11</li><li>2025 Record: 22-6</li><li>Notable Recent Result: Rome Quarter-Final</li><li>Best Roland-Garros Result: 2R (2023)</li></ul>Big clay events may not have treated Shnaider too kindly in the past, but the 21-year-old looks to have cracked the code. Shnaider earned her best big clay result, losing in the round of 16 in Madrid to former clay triple crown winner Swiatek.<figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oBqWUc0ryEE" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The world No. 11 improved on that result by one round in Rome but lost to eventual-winner Paolini. On both occasions, Shnaider forced a third set which proves she can hold her own against the tour’s best on the clay.- FrancescoThe National Bank Open Power Rankings are a group collaboration by the Power Rankings Panel which includes:<ul><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/peteb93.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pete Borkowski</a> – Manager of Editorial and Player Coverage, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/boydmel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Melissa Boyd</a> – Content Writer, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/ChampagneSJade" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sarah-Jade Champagne</a> – Content Specialist, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://x.com/JChan_811" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jonathan Chan</a> - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/EddieJonesLee" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edward Lee</a> – Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/hulight" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hugues Leger</a> – Producer, Podcast Sur La Ligne</li><li><a href="https://x.com/Charobillardmi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlotte Robillard-Millette</a> – Communications Coordinator, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/SanterreAbraham" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Abraham Santerre</a> – Content Creator, Podcast Sur La Ligne</li><li>Patrick Steski - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/franny_t1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Francesco Tosini</a> - Content Writer, Tennis Canada</li><li><a href="https://x.com/raviubha" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ravi Ubha</a> - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada</li></ul>2025 Roland-Garros Predictions:Champion:<ul><li>Pete: Coco Gauff</li><li>Mel: Aryna Sabalenka</li><li>Sarah-Jade: Jasmine Paolini</li><li>Jonathan: Aryna Sabalenka</li><li>Eddie: Aryna Sabalenka</li><li>Hugues: Mirra Andreeva</li><li>Pat: Coco Gauff</li><li>Francesco: Coco Gauff</li><li>Ravi: Aryna Sabalenka</li></ul>Dark Horse:<ul><li>Pete: Marta Kostyuk</li><li>Mel: Naomi Osaka</li><li>Sarah-Jade: Karolina Muchova</li><li>Jonathan: Amanda Anisimova</li><li>Eddie: Jelena Ostapenko</li><li>Pat: Marta Kostyuk</li><li>Ravi: Clara Tauson</li></ul>Bold Prediction:<ul><li>Pete: A teenager that isn’t Mirra Andreeva will reach the quarter-finals.</li><li>Mel: Elina Svitolina will reach at least the semifinals</li><li>Sarah-Jade: Paolini will beat Swiatek in rematch of the 2024 Roland-Garros Final.</li><li>Jonathan: Paula Badosa returns from injury on fire and reaches the semis.</li><li>Eddie: Sabalenka and Gauff produce an all-time classic final.</li><li>Hugues: Two Canadian women reach the second week</li><li>Pat: Emma Raducanu will reach her second Grand Slam quarter-final.  </li><li>Francesco: Naomi Osaka makes the quarter-final, posting her best result at Roland-Garros.</li><li>Ravi: French wildcard Lois Boisson, ranked 358th, makes a splash.  </li></ul>The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/montreal/montreal-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo : Martin Sidorjak

WTA Power Rankings: Challengers Aiming to Dethrone Swiatek at Roland-Garros

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Having previously met three times at a Grand Slam, their fourth meeting was undoubtedly the grandest. It was the first time Alcaraz and Sinner had met in a major final.Dating back to their first-ever clash back in the 2019 Alicante Challenger first round, the Spaniard has gotten the better of Sinner on clay, having lost just once in their four matches on the dirt. Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/change-the-game/2025/alexis-galarneau-seeking-for-help-is-a-strength-not-a-flaw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alexis Galarneau - “Seeking for help is a strength, not a flaw”</a>Then came Sunday’s French Open final. Seeking revenge after a straight-set loss to Alcaraz in the Rome final last month, the Italian looked to have cracked the code against the man who many are calling the next King of Clay.The world No. 1 took the opening two sets and had three chances to close it out in the fourth. However, Alcaraz saved all three championship points, sparking one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history. The 22-year-old Spaniard won two-straight tiebreaks and celebrated by laying on the red clay with face in hands. A distraught Sinner looked on as <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/nbo-focus-alcaraz-defends-roland-garros-title" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alcaraz successfully defended his Roland-Garros title</a>, becoming the first to do so since Nadal in 2020. <figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kSHUXVqZc1w" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>Few would argue against this being the greatest French Open final of all time as the match was a true testament of how captivating this young rivalry is.Alcaraz and Sinner battled for five hours and 29 minutes, the second-longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era and the longest at Roland-Garros. The rivals combined for a major final-record 385 points, only separated by one point in favour of the Italian.Read Also: <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/news/read/2025/destination-obn-stm-gauff-caps-off-clay-season-roland-garros-title" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gauff caps off clay season with Roland-Garros title</a>Not many summed up the duel better than 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer, who took to Instagram after the match to say, “3 winners in Paris today: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the beautiful game of tennis.”Safe to say, the future of tennis is in good hands.Now, as the grass season begins, Sinner and Alcaraz have the opportunity to renew their rivalry on the surface where they first met on the major stage. The Italian defeated the Spaniard in four sets back in the 2022 Wimbledon fourth round – Alcaraz’s last lost at the All-England Club – which happens to be Sinner’s only Grand Slam win against the El Palmar-native.  <figure class="media"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FOCHjQbU3kw" style="visibility: visible;" width="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>And the stakes for a potential final at Wimbledon may be just as significant as they were for that marathon final at Roland-Garros.For Alcaraz, it is a chance to make history once again, looking to join Djokovic, Federer, Pete Sampras, and Bjorn Borg as the only three-time defending champions at Wimbledon in the Open Era.As for Sinner, a win would snap a five-match losing skid against the world No. 2 and a fourth Grand Slam triumph will get him one major title closer to Alcaraz’s five.Read Also: <a href="https://www.tenniscanada.com/news/pro-tennis/2025/monday-digest-busy-start-to-the-grass-season-for-canadians" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Busy Start to the Grass Season for Canadians</a>But, as the saying goes, iron sharpens iron. The two rivals have combined for the last six Grand Slam wins and currently occupy the Top 2 spots in the rankings. While Sinner and Alcaraz compete for the year-end No. 1, the New Two continue to fill the shoes of the renowned Big Three.  The ATP's best return to Toronto this summer for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers July 27 to Aug. 7, 2025 at Sobeys Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/toronto/toronto-tickets-packages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Get your tickets today!</a>Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak

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