Despite great successes on the courts around the world, especially those of Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez, the year 2021 has not necessarily been easy for Tennis Canada, even if it could have been worse. Now, its leaders are looking towards 2022 with some optimism and believe they have the capacity to rebuild tennis in the country.
This is what emerged from the words of Michael Downey, President and CEO of Tennis Canada, during a videoconference used to provide an exhaustive assessment of the last year of tennis in the country.
In delivering his record, the president first stepped back to 2020, a year that has hurt Canadian tennis, particularly financially.
Michael Downey notably indicated that that year, his organization had suffered a significant decrease in its revenues, in the order of $ 60 million, after the cancellation of its tournaments in Montreal and Toronto due to the pandemic of COVID-19.
As a result, Tennis Canada ended 2020 with a deficit of $ 8 million after multiple mitigations, including the layoff of 40% of its staff and a 70% reduction in investments in tennis development.
Today, according to the CEO of Tennis Canada, the financial picture is better: “Thanks to the green light from the federal, provincial and municipal public health authorities to hold the National Bank omniums in 2021, despite the limited number of spectators. – 50,000 per tournament – Tennis Canada made a small profit after forecasting a loss of $ 5 million if the only tournament revenue had been broadcast rights. “
In 2022, Tennis Canada’s goal will be to welcome as many spectators as possible to the men’s and women’s components of the National Bank Open, which will take place in August in Montreal and Toronto, respectively.
Tennis Canada is pursuing another goal in 2022: that of reinvesting in the development of tennis, which is its raison d’être, and in other missions that its leaders qualify as important, such as the renovation of infrastructure deemed obsolete.
“We believe, however, that it will take us three to five years to reach pre-pandemic investment levels to ensure the growth of our sport in all areas. “
Stay grounded
In its report, Tennis Canada of course looked at the individual performances of its athletes, in particular the meteoric rise of Fernandez in the ranking of the Tennis Players Association (WTA).
Helped by his participation in the US Open final and his victory at the tournament in Monterrey, Mexico in March, Fernandez rose from 88e step at 24e rank.
“I’m in contact, especially with her father, and he tells me it’s wonderful to see her train,” said Sylvain Bruneau, head of professional women’s tennis at Tennis Canada, of the 19-year-old Quebecer. .
In addition, Sylvain Bruneau recalled that it is never easy to generate so much attention at such a young age. “The priority will be to make sure she keeps both feet on the ground and does what she needs to do. She has a good head on her shoulders, her dad does a good job around her and I have high hopes that things will turn out well for her for the next year or so. “
Tennis Canada also noted the presence of five more of its top 50 athletes, including Bianca Andreescu, now 46.e after occupying the 4e position in October 2019.
In this regard, Sylvain Bruneau, who was her coach until the spring of 2021, mentioned that things had been complicated for the Ontarian since her exploits in 2019, with the injuries and the pandemic.
Moreover, Andreescu announced yesterday that it was skipping the Australian Open next January in order to give itself time to recover physically and mentally, after a year marked by Bruneau’s COVID episode shortly. ahead of the 2021 Australian Open, and his later in the year.
“It’s been a complicated year and we hope that she [aille] regain her physical health, ”said the head of professional women’s tennis at Tennis Canada. “She is a very talented player, and we know that she is capable of great things. So I’m still very optimistic to see her again, not in Australia, but a little later this year and doing great things. “
In men, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov finished 11e and 14e in the ATP rankings, respectively. In the case of Auger-Aliassime, it is a jump of 10 places compared to its final ranking a year earlier.
“We can say that he is very well placed for the coming season. He finished strong with very good results in the Grand Slam tournaments, which really changed his position in the standings, ”said Guillaume Marx, head of performance at Tennis Canada, speaking of Auger-Aliassime.
As for Shapovalov, Guillaume Marx recalled that the Ontarian slipped in the ATP ranking compared to last year, he who had concluded 2020 in 12e square. “He is still holding on 14e, and I know he has very big ambitions for the coming season. “
In addition, each of them participated in a semi-final of a Grand Slam tournament, Auger-Aliassime at the US Open, and Shapovalov, at Wimbledon.