Billie Jean King has played in hundreds of tournaments, met thousands of people and hit millions of balls. We should therefore believe her when she says that Tennis Canada is probably the best tennis federation in the world.
Posted at 7:30 p.m.
She saw how the National Bank Open week went in Montreal and Toronto. She has witnessed the enthusiasm of fans and players for this tournament over the past decades. She is also in awe of the new wave of players from Canada.
During a long interview with The Press on the sidelines of her September 28 conference at C2 Montreal, she first praised Michael Downey, President and CEO of Tennis Canada, who is doing “a fantastic job”. Afterwards, she spoke of the immense luck of having two “healthy” tournaments. Then, she praised the “excellent Canadian players”.
Three elements that make, according to her, that “Tennis Canada is probably the most recognized and prominent association on the planet. She’s number one in the world.”
She would even like the Canadian model to be copied by the Americans, particularly with regard to financing. In Canada, the government helps and supports Tennis Canada and the National Bank Open. For example, in early August, the federal government offered $10 million to Tennis Canada to ensure the survival of the tournament. This is the kind of gesture that Billie Jean King would like the American government to make with regard to the American tennis federation to ensure its development, but it is not the case.
Montreal, city of tennis
According to the former world number one, the two cities of Montreal and Toronto are important. However, she believes that the Montreal chapter of the OBN has a special cachet.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Billie Jean King believes that the Montreal section of the National Bank Open has a special cachet.
Montreal has held a tournament for a long time, although at the time it was a smaller tournament. For years, players have said it’s their favorite. Most of the players who play these tournaments become great champions, and that’s why it’s important to have tournaments of all levels.
Billie Jean King
These remarks echo those made by Andy Murray, when he confided to The Press just before the start of the last tournament that there was no place in the world where fans were so numerous to attend the players’ practices and the qualifying rounds. He said nothing compared to the Montreal tournament.
“Your two tournaments are fantastic and I remember when the boys and girls were separated, I thought it was splendid. It was absolutely brilliant,” said M.me King, since it allows women in particular to have all the attention in a given city.
The feminine brilliance
Mme King also praised the Canadian players. “Leylah [Fernandez] made the US Open final last year, that was awesome. She is so nice. »
PHOTO ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
Leylah Fernandez
Bianca [Andreescu], it’s the same thing, she’s so friendly. I know them a little and they are great girls.
Billie Jean King
Recall that Andreescu won the New York tournament in 2019.
The 78-year-old, who won the Battle of the Sexes in September 1973, also touted Gabriela Dabrowski as Canada’s top doubles player. “She’s also really good,” she clarified.
She finds it unfortunate that her success is not as publicized as that of her compatriots Andreescu and Fernandez, but that is the lot of doubles players. Mme King is well placed to know, she who has won 27 of her 39 major titles in women’s or mixed doubles.
“I liked playing doubles better than singles, because I come from team sports. I loved that. »
She also likes the format of international competitions, because it is possible to see doubles matches, which is usually more rare on television. She’s referring to the Billie Jean King Cup, which she still calls the Fed Cup – because “I can’t use my own name, it’s so embarrassing,” she joked.