Canadian tennis is at its peak. 2022 has been a historic year, especially on the men’s side, and of course, Tennis Canada’s record is positive. All eyes are already on 2023, a year in which the federation’s staff wants to establish even more depth.
The Canadians won the Davis Cup, the most prestigious team competition in the world of tennis, at the end of November. This is the first time that the Maple Leaf has won this more than 100-year-old tournament.
“It’s one of the greatest moments in Canadian tennis. Perhaps one of the greatest sporting moments in Canadian history,” said Guillaume Marx, Chief Performance Officer at Tennis Canada on Tuesday, during the federation’s end-of-year review at the IGA stadium in Montreal.
Of course, it was Félix Auger-Aliassime who led the ship for the Canadian team, but Marx explains that to triumph in such a tournament, “everyone [les] top players are involved,” and that’s what happened, he believes.
Like Auger-Aliassime, sixth racket in the world, Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil were also up to the task in the most important moments.
PHOTO THOMAS COEX, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Canada won the Davis Cup last November.
Tennis Canada hopes that this title and the four trophies Auger-Aliassime has won this season on an individual level can inspire a new generation of players from coast to coast. “We want to bring tennis culture to another level. We want to inspire young people with this trophy,” added Marx.
The goal for the year 2023 on the men’s side is now to “protect tennis culture, stay humble […] and manage to find good results among young people”.
Mixed results for women
Sylvain Bruneau’s analysis was a little more mixed. No Canadian player has reached a Grand Slam final, like Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and Leylah Fernandez in 2021.
On the other hand, three end the season in the top 100 in singles, Fernandez (39e), Andreescu (45e), Rebecca Marino (65e), and one among the top 10 in doubles, Gabriela Dabrowski (7e).
“For many players, it’s difficult to return to the top after a Grand Slam final,” said the head of professional women’s tennis and transition.
In his opinion, the highlight of this season is the outfit of Marino who, after a long break, managed to compete with the best players in the world at 31 years old. With a jump of 80 places in the world ranking, she was even able to participate in all the Grand Slam tournaments.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Rebecca Marino
He also gave a lackluster record of the Billie Jean King Cup tournament, during which Canada did not pass the group stage, even though it could count on the best team in the history of the country in this competition. . “It’s hard to be satisfied, because we had all the players. We are disappointed, but it is only a postponement. »
Bruneau, however, believes that the success and health of the federation in the short and long term will have to go through depth: “We want more players and we are on the right track. I would like to double the number of players in the top 100. This is the main goal. »
All roads lead to Rome
Over the next few years, Tennis Canada also wants to make its young players aware that courses like those of Andreescu, Fernandez and Auger-Aliassime, who reach the highest peaks at the turn of their twenties, are out of the ordinary.
At the same time, players like Alexis Galarneau or Gabriel Diallo are taking more accessible tangents by evolving in the American university ranks and participating in Challenger tournaments. Nevertheless, both players were on the Davis Cup squad.
“We work on the model that athletes can become,” explains Marx. There is no one way to success. It is estimated that there are at least four possible routes. So yes, there are different ways to get there. »
Bruneau is also emphasizing this with the female succession. Andreescu and Fernandez reached the U.S. Open final aged 19. He insists, repeating to his players “that you shouldn’t compare yourself to that at 19”.
He believes it is “possible to have a slower ascent. Don’t step too high.”