August 21, 2026
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STORY OF THE WEEK |
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Two Ontarians Honoredwith DSA by Tennis Canada |
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Tennis Canada honoured ten individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth of tennis in Canada, including two from Ontario, Rick Bertozzi and Danielle Smith. Rick and Danielle were selected to receive a Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Award. They were invited to a ceremony at Centre Court of the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, as part of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. Rick Bertozzi has been involved in tennis volunteerism for almost 30 years. He is well known for his willingness to organize winter tennis groups while being a member of many Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) member clubs over the years including Kleinburg, Nobleton, Richmond Hill, Thornhill Park, Applewood, Whiteoaks Park and others. He served as Applewood Tennis Club’s Vice President and teams director in the late 90’s, and as Thornhill Park Tennis Club’s Vice President and program director from 2006 to 2011. |
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HEADLINE STORIES |
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Two Ontarians Honoredwith DSA by Tennis Canada |
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Tennis Canada honoured ten individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth of tennis in Canada, including two from Ontario, Rick Bertozzi and Danielle Smith. Rick and Danielle were selected to receive a Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Award. They were invited to a ceremony at Centre Court of the Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, as part of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. Rick Bertozzi has been involved in tennis volunteerism for almost 30 years. He is well known for his willingness to organize winter tennis groups while being a member of many Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) member clubs over the years including Kleinburg, Nobleton, Richmond Hill, Thornhill Park, Applewood, Whiteoaks Park and others. He served as Applewood Tennis Club’s Vice President and teams director in the late 90’s, and as Thornhill Park Tennis Club’s Vice President and program director from 2006 to 2011. Rick later became President of Kleinburg Tennis Club in 2020 and was successful in obtaining a $16,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant for club improvements. He also chairs many of their committees, including premises improvement, adult and junior development, and constitution and by-laws. Rick quickly broadened his volunteer contributions by serving as Vice President and President of the Inter-County Tennis Association (ICTA) from 2008 to 2020. His leadership skills and ability to work well with others helped to strengthen the organization and has allowed it to continue to grow as the largest organization for team tennis competition in Canada. He has also captained several successful teams in the ICTA in the Mixed and 55 Plus Leagues. During this time, Rick also held a number of Director positions at the OTA from 2015- 2023, including Director-at-Large, and later, Vice-Chair Finance and Administration. Rick’s volunteer history exemplifies long-standing leadership, community impact, and the true spirit of volunteer service. Danielle Smith is the founder of A Love of Tennis, an organization that has transformed underused school courts in Ottawa into vibrant, inclusive community hubs. Since securing her first grant in 2003 to revive the Hillcrest High School courts, she has built a sustainable charitable organization that now serves nearly 1,000 youth and women annually, while also providing access to more than 2,800 students. Through her hands-on volunteer commitment, from coaching and programming to court development and operations, Danielle has created a welcoming environment grounded in strong values and a passion for learning. By ensuring all programs remain free and accessible, she has removed barriers and empowered participants to grow both on and off the court. Her dedication, compassion, and leadership has had a profound and lasting impact on tennis and community life in Ottawa.
Congratulations Rick and Danielle! Pictured above, left to right Tennis Canada Excellence Award recipient Regil Kharissov, Rick Bertozzi, Danielle Smith, Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv and OTA Board Chair Arthur Wolf. The Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Awards are presented to members of the tennis family who have made a positive impact on the game and have had a minimum of five years involvement at the national, provincial or community level. The recognition highlights individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to the development of tennis in this country. For a complete list of this year’s Tennis Canada DSA recipients, click here. |
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“Have a Go” Wheelchair Tennis,Sobeys Stadium August 10 |
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On August 10, tennis fans attending the National Bank Open had the opportunity to “Have a Go” at Wheelchair Tennis at Sobeys Stadium! Held in partnership with the Ontario Tennis Association, Tennis Canada and the Ontario Para Network, the event gave members of the public the chance to get on court, try wheelchair tennis for themselves and learn more about the sport. It was a great turnout, with participants of all ages getting involved and having lots of fun. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event a success. We hope to see you back on court next year! For information on Wheelchair Tennis, click here. |
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Geoff Bower Receives TPAClub Professional Excellence Award |
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Congratulations to Geoff Bower, Director of Racquets at Bayview Golf and Country Club, on receiving the 2025 Tennis Professionals Association (TPA) Club Professional Excellence Award. The award recognizes Geoff’s leadership, professionalism and dedication to growing the game of tennis in Canada. The award was presented at the TPA suite during the NBO in Toronto. Pictured above, left to right Farid Mekhael, Geoff Bower, Gary Caron and Paul Cairns. |
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HEAD Gravity MP Zverev LTD |
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The HEAD Gravity MP Zverev LTD is available now at Merchant of Tennis! This limited-edition racquet co-created with Alexander Zverev showcases a two-tone flip design that captures his two sides of New York: refined elegance and electric energy, with gold accents drawn from his three signature necklaces. Merchant of Tennis’ Oakville store is now open with limited hours and services as they continue restoring their full in-store product selection over the coming weeks. Check their website for store hours: www.merchantoftennis.com/oakville Keep track of upcoming deals and events: www.merchantoftennis.com/pages/newsletter Shop Gift Cards: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/gift-cards MerchantOfTennis.com is open 24/7 with shipping and store pickup services available. Store hours and updated information: www.merchantoftennis.com/pages/contact-us |
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New Fall Coaching Course. Register Now!! |
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As we head into the indoor season, we’re excited to share a new coaching certification opportunity taking place in Mississauga in September. This course is a great way to begin or continue your professional development, connect with fellow coaches, and advance your coaching pathway. Registration is now open for the next installment of spring Instructor level 1 course. For more information, please see below. Upcoming Certification Course Premier Instructor Course September Dates: September 11th-13th & 18th-20th Instructor Course Requirements: Please review the following requirements carefully before registering for an Instructor course:
**Candidates who are 15 years old and turning 16 within one year of the course may complete all in-course testing**
Benefits of TPA/OTA Instructor Certification:
We encourage coaches to register early, as space is limited and demand is expected to be high. If you have questions regarding eligibility, prerequisites, or course details, please don’t hesitate to contact Andrew Chappell, achappell@tennisontario.com. |
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Mathieu Sarrazin namedACE Academy Director |
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Hiring of top Canadian coach heralds a new era for historic organization. “The future starts now. We found the catalyst for the future.” was Pierre Lamarche’s, CEO of All Canadian Enterprises, first comment in announcing Mathieu Sarrazin’s appointment as the ACE Academy Director. As such, Mathieu will assume direct leadership of the ACE Academy at the SmartVMC club in Vaughan immediately and assume overall management of the Toronto Tennis City and Southwest ACE Academies. Lamarche said that while ACE is celebrating its 50 years of excellence in youth development, it must have creative and knowledgeable leadership to guide Canada’s most successful academy going forward: “ACE needs leadership and knowledge to lead it into a changing industry to be dominated by sport science, analytics and AI.” Sam Aliassime, father of Felix commented to Lamarche:” You have made a great choice in a guy who understands the management of an Academy as well as the development of players at the highest level”. Sarrazin, who ran his own Academy in Quebec for six years, has been involved with Tennis Canada and Quebec tennis as a national and provincial coach as well as the personal coach of some of Canada’s top players: “We got to know Matt through the years. His dedication and passion are pillars that helped Leyla and Bianca in their development years” said Jorge Fernandez, father of Leyla and Bianca Fernandez. Alexis Galarneau, Canadian Davis Cup player, added: “Mathieu’s dedication and passion, combined with his structured approach, allow players to develop with confidence.” Sarrazin will be in Vaughan as of mid-August, where he will assume the head coach position for ACE’s new International Team and National program. Mathieu can be reached at mathieu@acetennis.ca. Mathieu Sarrazin BIO Mathieu Sarrazin & Pierre Lamarche Answers Questions Read Here. |
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Train to Compete at ACE2026-2027 Academy |
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Join us at Regional Tryouts: ACE VAUGHAN: 775 Applewood Crescent, Vaughan, ON L4K 5C7
ACE TORONTO: 185 Balliol St., Toronto, ON M4S 0A9
August 23rd, 9am -10am In case of rain, tryouts will be moved to a later date TBD, and all participants will be notified. ACE SOUTHWEST: 501 Drury Ln, Burlington, ON L7R 2X3
In case of rain on Friday September 3rd, Tryouts will be held on the 4th from 1pm - 3pm. For more information and to register, click here. |
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Calling all Former Members ofScarborough Bluffs Tennis Club! |
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It's the Scarborough Bluffs Tennis Club's 75th Anniversary. There will be a Celebration on Saturday, September 26th from 2pm to 10pm. Tennis, Dinner, Dancing and Prizes! If you would like to attend, please contact Meg Fletcher: email : fletch_home@hotmail.com mobile : 647-998-6003 See you there ! |
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2026 OTA Tournament of Champions! |
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The OTA is introducing a fun tournament for our member clubs this fall: The 2026 Tournament of Champions team competition. Now your club has a chance to gain bragging rights as the best of the best in Ontario! When: Fall 2026 Club Eligibility: Your club must be a 2026 member of the OTA and use the either the free Tournament Planner software or free WTN Box Ladder software platform to run your club’s event. Timeline: Club events must be completed by September 30th. Is your club ready to win?! Clubs can get involved and qualify to enter a team by:
Click here for more details on the WTN Match Play software All club software is complimentary when running your club events. Benefits include:
Streamlined registration for box ladders and club tournaments through OTA software platforms. Make sure your club executives sign up to participate ASAP! |
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OTA Club and Regional News |
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Burlington Hall TennisAcademy Scholarship Program |
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Tennis Academy Scholarship Applications Now Open The Burlington Hall Tennis Academy Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to skilled junior players who demonstrate exceptional character, commitment, work ethic, and a passion for the game, while helping remove financial barriers to high-performance training. More than financial support, recipients become Burlington Hall Tennis Academy Ambassadors and leaders who represent our Academy with integrity, give back to the club, and inspire others through their actions on and off the court. Applicants will be evaluated using a holistic approach, considering:
Supporting documentation, including financial information and references, may be requested during the selection process. If you know a deserving athlete who would benefit from this opportunity, we encourage them to apply. For more information or to request an application package, please contact Craig Mercer, Director of Tennis at craig@burlingtonhall.ca. Please click here to view the Academy Brochure About Burlington Hall Sporting Club Burlington Hall Sporting Club (formerly Cedar Springs Health, Racquet and Sportsclub), located at 960 Cumberland Ave in Burlington, is entering an exciting new chapter, undergoing a complete transformation under new ownership, with a bold vision to become one of Canada's premier sports clubs and junior tennis academies. The club has already begun significant renovations, including newly resurfaced tennis courts, upgraded swimming pools, soon-to-be installed padel courts and the creation of a dedicated high-performance fitness space, designed specifically for competitive tennis athletes. With 10 tennis courts (9 indoor, 1 outdoor) and plans for additional outdoor courts, the club also features fitness, aquatics, squash, pickleball, racquetball, basketball, physiotherapy and more, Burlington Hall Sporting Club offers something for everyone. |
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ACE International Team Program@Smart VMC - September 2026 |
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ACE is launching a specialized "International Team" program for the 2026–2027 Academy year at our ACE SmartVMC location in Vaughan. Led by Doug Burke and Pierre Lamarche, it’s a highly selective, intensive training track tailored specifically for online-or home-schooled athletes looking to compete internationally. To keep the training quality incredibly high, we are limiting the group to just 8 elite players (ages 13 - 17).
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We Want Your Club and Regional News! |
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Tournaments - Community -Outreach -Courses |
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OTA Marketplace |
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Airport Tennis Opens in October! |
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Airport Tennis, a brand-new public tennis club in Toronto's west end, will be opening in October. Located just south of Pearson Airport, two minutes from Renforth Drive and Hwy 401, the club will have nine new hard courts in a seasonal bubble. The club will have a full compliment of programming for all levels of players, expertly organized by The Supreme Court team:
Membership is now open, with 14-day advance booking and permanent court time available. We are building a club with a great community and social atmosphere! You should be part of it! |
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Silent Partner Sunshine Special Continues! |
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Up to 25% off All Silent Partner Machines! With over two decades of excellence, Silent Partner has been the go-to choice for tennis enthusiasts and professionals seeking the ultimate training partner. Known for its impressive ball speed, Silent Partner offers the perfect opportunity to refine your skills and up your game. Proudly Canadian! Visit www.sptennis.ca to learn more and place your order starting March 1st! |
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A Marketplace for Everything Tennis |
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