STORY OF THE WEEK

Canada Secures Spot

in 2026 BJK Cup Qualifiers

Team Canada defeated Denmark and Mexico to finish on top of Group A last week in Mexico, securing its place in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers. The Canadian team finished atop Group A after defeating both Denmark (2-1) and Mexico (2-0) in the three-team, round-robin format. 

The No. 6-ranked Canadian team, led by first-time captain Marie-Ève Pelletier (above left) filling in for regular captain Heidi El Tabakh, had a strong Ontario presence, including Victoria Mboko (Burlington, ON, above 2nd right), Marina Stakusic (Mississauga, ON, above 2nd left), Gabriela Dabrowski (Ottawa, ON, above right), Cadence Brace (Toronto, ON, above 3rd right) with Carson Branstine (above 3rd left) from Montreal, rounding out the roster. 

Canada will now look ahead to next year’s Qualifiers in April. 

Congratulations Team Canada (and Team Ontario)! 

Story and photo courtesy of Tennis Canada. 

HEADLINE STORIES

Arseneault & Lacasse Win

ITF Doubles Title in Mexico!

Ariana Arseneault (Richmond Hill, above left) partnered with Montrealer Raphaelle Lacasse (above right) to win the doubles title last week at the ITF W50 tournament in Mexico. They defeated fellow Canadian Alexandra Vagramov (Vancouver) and her Mexican partner Maria Fernanda Navarro, 2-6, 7-6(4), 1-0(6) in the final. The title is Arseneault’s third ITF doubles crown of the year (second with Lacasse) and ninth of her career. 

Congratulations Ariana and Raphaelle! 

For complete tournament results, click here. 

Chan Reaches Singles

Final in Drummondville!

Duncan Chan (20, Markham, above left) made it to the singles final of the ATP 75 Challenger in Drummondville last week. Chan, who recently turned pro and is still a standout collegiate athlete at TCU, was awarded a wild card to the event and made the most of it with some impressive victories. After dropping only one set in four matches enroute to the final, he ultimately lost 6-4, 6-2 to the ATP World 247th-ranked player, fourth-seeded Estonian Daniil Glinka (above right). The result propelled Chan’s ATP World Ranking up an astounding 790 positions to 650! 

Congratulations on the great result Duncan! 

For complete tournament results, click here. 

2025 Eastern Canadian

U12 Team Championships

The Eastern Canadian U12 Team Championships presented by the OTA and Tennis Canada were held at Sobeys Stadium from November 13 to 18. 256 U12 players representing 55 teams played in boys and girls team divisions, using a compass draw format. 

After 5 days of intense team play, the championship rounds were played. In Boys U12 Finals action, Team Boulevard Red defeated Team Advantage Tennis International five matches to one, (both teams pictured above). 

The Girls division final saw Team Joshua Creek #1 (top row above) defeat Team Advantage Tennis International #1 (bottom row above) four matches to two. 

Next week, Sobeys will again be the site of some team play; this time in the U10 division. 

For complete U12 tournament results, click here. 

"Together, We Are Ontario Tennis"

From time to time, we are asked. “What does the OTA do?” 

The Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) is recognized by the Provincial Government as the official “Provincial Sport Organization” for tennis in Ontario. The Association is proud to support the continued growth of the sport by providing a number of important benefits to the tennis community: benefits ranging from club support and services, community outreach, player development opportunities and helping to encourage more court capacity. 

The lifeblood of the sport flows from the hundreds of clubs and facilities in communities across the province that provide great places to play. It relies on the thousands of volunteers and professionals who work tirelessly to provide great playing experiences. Most importantly, it counts on the hundreds of thousands of players like you, players who enjoy the sport at all levels and encourage more people to play more often! 

Working with and supporting the Ontario tennis community will help us to continue to grow the sport we all love! 

Click the video image below to view OTA President & CEO Richard Mainella introducing a comprehensive multi-media campaign highlighting the unique benefits and initiatives the OTA provides that serve the tennis community. 

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, SPIN newsletter and www.tennisontario.com. 

U12/U14 OTA Fitness

Combine Held at Sobeys

The OTA, in partnership with the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, delivered Phase 1 of the OTA Fitness Combine on November 8th at the Sobeys Centre. The Combine targeted athletes in the U12 and U14 categories. Sixty-one athletes registered and participated in 90-minute fitness training blocks led by Tennis Canada Regional Centre Strength and Conditioning Specialist Joseph Latina. With the assistance of in-training students and fitness staff from Humber College, athletes were measured on various tasks related to explosiveness, speed and strength. 

Phase 1 will proceed with athlete test results being communicated to parents and coaches, followed by Phase 2, which will entail an in-class session to discuss overall strengths and weaknesses and provide input on measures to improve on Phase 1 testing. 

Phase 3 will involve a re-testing in January 2026. 

A special thank you to all who participated and to Jamie Anderson (OTA) for managing the busy schedule! 

RecycleBalls Canada Partners

with OTA & Tennis Canada!

RecycleBalls Canada, the Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) and Tennis Canada are pleased to announce a new partnership which will strengthen ties between the organizations and ensure tennis is more sustainable in Ontario. 

It is estimated that Canadians use around 15 million tennis balls a year. Since tennis balls are made from materials such as rubber (C5H8), wool (C16H14R7O8), and nylon (C12H22N2O2), they are not biodegradable and don’t naturally break down over time. It is of our responsibility collective as organizations involved in the sport to take action to address this issue. By rethinking what happens to these balls after play, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help protect the environment, and champion a more sustainable future for tennis. 

Managed by Tendev, a non-profit organization operated by volunteers and tennis lovers, RecycleBalls Canada has been in operation and providing a recycling solution for tennis balls since 2022. So far, more than 500,000 balls have been recycled in Canada. 

The program is proud to count on the support of Tennis Canada, for whom RecycleBalls Canada recycles balls at their headquarters in Toronto (Sobeys Stadium) and Montreal (IGA Stadium), which house their Regional and National Training Centres respectively. Tennis Canada also participates by recycling balls from ATP and WTA professional tournaments held throughout the country. In addition, these facilities serve as hubs to store the empty and full bins and coordinate the shipping within each province. 

The RecycleBalls Canada program is based on a collection program at clubs and municipalities’ level. The bins used have been specifically designed to attract the attention of players, be easy to handle and send back once full. 

• Larger clubs can work directly with RecycleBalls Canada for receiving empty bins and collecting full bins. 
• For smaller clubs; to minimize the environmental footprint involved in the collection process, RecycleBalls Canada tries to collaborate with partners at the local level to distribute the empty bins and collect the full ones, so it optimises the shipping process. 
• Sobeys Stadium in Toronto or IGA Stadium in Montreal are regional hubs where empty bins can be collected, and full bins dropped off. 

The collected balls are recycled to be used in different ways. For example, balls can be recycled and used as part of tennis court resurfacing, as was the case when Sobeys Stadium in Toronto was resurfaced in 2023. 

The partnership with the OTA and Tennis Canada will enable the RecycleBalls Canada program to be introduced to club managers and tennis players throughout Ontario. Through this partnership, RecycleBalls Canada hopes to be able to reach its global goal to recycle 1,000 000 balls a year by 2030. 

We encourage all clubs and academies to join the program and all players to contribute, by making sure to drop all their used balls in the RecycleBalls Canada bins. 

Together, we can all make a difference! 

More information on the program and on how to join it can be found at the following websites: 

Recycleballs Canada: https://recycleballs.ca/ 

Tendev: https://www.tendev.ca/en 

Play the Game YOU Love…Anywhere!

The Ontario Tennis Association (OTA) has partnered with The Travel Agent Next Door to launch OTA Travel, a customized travel platform designed exclusively for OTA members and their families, member clubs and academies, certified tennis instructors and the broader Canadian tennis community. The great news is that, when you book any vacations and trips through OTA Travel, you’re helping the OTA support the growth of tennis in Ontario! 

For many players, especially for those that only play outdoor tennis, the weather over the past few weeks have forced people to put their racquets away and wait for the spring to arrive – 6 long months from now! 

Guess what? You don’t have to give up the dream of playing tennis in shorts or a skirt during our Canadian winter! Why not book a winter tennis vacation at a fantastic tennis resort in a tropical paradise instead? Go by yourself, with a loved one or family members, or maybe with a group of players from your club or league. Check out the OTA Travel website and look into getting away to work on your game in time for next spring and enjoy a little R & R at a beautiful beach resort as well! Let the OTA Travel experts set you up this winter, but hurry; many resorts are filling up for the season. Plan ahead so you won’t be disappointed! 

REQUEST A QUOTE 

There are many vacation options accessible at www.otatravel.ca. This brand-new travel experience provides curated tennis vacations, vacations with tennis options, and all general travel offerings — including ocean and river cruises, all-inclusive resorts, European getaways, and guided tours — all powered by the travel expertise of The Travel Agent Next Door, Canada’s premier host agency with over 1,600 travel professionals and $500M in annual travel sales. 

Special Launch Offer 

To celebrate the launch of OTA Travel, members who sign up at www.OTAtravel.ca will receive four (4) x $50 travel vouchers that can be used toward future bookings — making it even easier to start planning your next match or adventure. 

Travel With a Purpose 

Every booking made through OTA Travel does more than provide a world-class experience — it also helps fund grassroots tennis initiatives across the province. A portion of every transaction goes directly back to OTA programming, meaning every trip helps grow the game of tennis in Ontario. 

About the Ontario Tennis Association 

The Ontario Tennis Association is the governing body of tennis in Ontario and the largest provincial tennis association in Canada. OTA is committed to growing the game, supporting athletes at all levels, and creating enriching opportunities for its members both on and off the court. 

About The Travel Agent Next Door 

The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND) is Canada’s leading host travel agency network, supporting over 1,600 travel professionals nationwide. Backed by more than $500 million in annual travel sales, TTAND delivers unparalleled buying power, exclusive offers, and personalized service through its extensive advisor network. 

Girls.Set.Match. Event at

Headwaters Last Weekend!

Headwaters Fitness & Racquet Club in Amaranth was the site of the latest Girls.Set.Match. (GSM) event for girls and young women. 

The event was led by Headwaters pro Ashley Spironello. Over 30 girls enjoyed a Tie-Breaker Challenge tournament and were treated to lunch, prizes and mentorship opportunities. 

Thanks to Ashley Spironello and the Headwaters team for helping the young participants enjoy the virtues of playing tennis and learning the importance of physical activity, personal confidence and mental well-being! 

Early Black Friday Deals

at Merchant of Tennis

Kicking off Black Friday early with Tecnifibre, Babolat, and HEAD at Merchant of Tennis! 

Plenty more Black Friday deals to come! Stay tuned. 

Shop Tecnifibre: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/sale/tecnifibre 

Shop Babolat: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/sale/babolat 

Shop HEAD: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/sale/head 

Merchant of Tennis’ Oakville pop up service centre is now closed for the season. They look forward to seeing you in 2026 in their store. Visit their website for the latest information: 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 

Connect with Merchant of Tennis: 

www.instagram.com/merchanttennis 
www.facebook.com/MerchantTennis
www.tiktok.com/@merchanttennis 

Wheelchair Tennis Instructor

Workshop in Ottawa Dec. 7

The Wheelchair Tennis Instructor Workshop is a Tennis Canada initiative designed to provide interested people (currently certified instructors and coaches, school teachers, recreational Therapists, etc.) with the knowledge to teach wheelchair tennis to introductory players. Participants will learn how to adapt their coaching to systematically develop beginning wheelchair players. They will help players learn the fundamentals of rallying, starting a point with serve & return, playing the game and most importantly, chair mobility. The course, conducted in partnership with ON Para and the OTA, will be taught by Tennis Canada National Coach for Wheelchair Tennis and 3 time Paralympic Medalist Kai Schrameyer. 

ARE YOU… 

• Interested in working with wheelchair players? 
• Currently instructing wheelchair players? 
• Giving tennis in a wheelchair a go yourself? 

LEARN ABOUT… 

• Rules 
• Injury levels 
• Tennis Chairs/equipment 
• Differences and similarities for instructing wheelchair players 

LEARN TO TEACH… 

• Court movement and mobility 
• Singles and doubles tactics 
• Effective and efficient technique for wheelchair players 

RECEIVE… 

• Expert instruction from Tennis Canada Course Facilitators 
• Access to sports wheelchairs during workshop 
• Professional Development Credit 
• Course Certificate 

WHO: The course is open to everyone however, only Instructors or coaches already certified by Tennis Canada are eligible to receive the official certificate upon completion of the course. (100% attendance required). 

TIME: One day course (7 hours) COST: $ 79 for TPA Members - $ 119 for Non TPA members. 

NOTE: This course counts for a FULL-DAY of professional development with the Tennis Professional Association (TPA) 

Workshop date and Time: Sunday, December 7, Noon – 6:00pm 

Location: Rideau Sports Centre, 1 Donald Street Ottawa, 

To register online, click here. 

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, December 3. 

SPACES ARE LIMITED! SIGN UP TODAY! 

For further Information on the workshop please contact Kai Schrameyer at Kschrameyer@tenniscanada.com. 

Wheelchair Tennis Try It Session at Rideau!

Wheelchair tennis is coming back to Ottawa! We are excited to share that a new weekly wheelchair tennis program will be launching at the Rideau Sports Centre on Saturday afternoons, officially starting in the New Year. To kick off this program, a Try It session will be held on Saturday, December 6th from 1:30pm – 3:00pm at the Rideau Sports Centre (1 Donald St, Ottawa ON). This event is free, no experience is required, all equipment will be provided, and recommended age is 13+ (if you are younger, please reach out directly to Lisa to see how we can accommodate you within the event). 

While we will prioritize individuals with a physical disability participating in the session, friends and family members are more than welcome to join if equipment and time permits. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Lisa Myers at wheelchairdev@tenniscanada.com. 

Date: Saturday, December 6th 

Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pm 

Location: Rideau Sports Centre (1 Donald St, Ottawa ON, K1K 4E6) 

Cost: Free 

Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/wf6QpHPUrJ 

Questions? Contact Lisa Myers at wheelchairdev@tenniscanada.com. 

Yonex Percept Midnight

The Yonex Percept Midnight brings a refined color scheme that stands out on court while preserving the performance and precision players already love. 

The Percept 100, now in a Midnight colour, is a flexible frame suitable for intermediate to advanced players looking for a more balanced-spec racquet to provide the series' great precision and feel in a relatively easier-to-play package. 

Yonex's frame technologies continue to evolve and enhance their racquets for improved performance and feel. For the Percept series, Yonex continues to infuse their racquets with the ISOMETRIC head shape for a larger than expected sweet spot to enhance overall playability. Vibration is reduced with Yonex's Servo Filter for a more comfortable experience by reducing unwanted shock and vibration. Flexibility and ball pocketing is enhanced with an elongated shaft design to allow a greater degree of control over the ball. Yonex has stiffened the racquet face to enhance the stability and overall power of this frame. 

For more information on the Yonex Percept Midnight, click here. 

OTA Club and Regional News

OTA North Central Region AGM

The North Central Region (NCR) of the OTA held their AGM in Newmarket last weekend. The event took place at the Villa Risi Ristorante. There were 25 people, representing over ten NCR clubs, at the meeting. As well as the formal AGM proceedings, the event included a luncheon, draw prizes, presentations from the OTA’s President and CEO Richard Mainella and OTA’ Senior Manager of Membership & Club Services Andrew Chappell, breakout discussion groups and the presentation of Bruce Childs Volunteer Awards to Nicolette Hollander from Collingwood Tennis Club and Legorio Alfarero from Alliston Tennis Club.

Thanks to North Central Region Chair Arun Prasad for organizing and hosting the AGM!

 Pictured above, left to right: Andrew Chappell, Legorio Alfarero, Andrew Kokelj from Alliston Tennis Club, Richard Mainella and Arun Prasad.

For more pictures from the event, click here.

PRC Brampton Hosts Successful Mayor’s Cup Tournament

Premier Racquet Clubs (PRC) Brampton proudly hosted the annual Mayor’s Cup Tournament from Friday, November 14 to Sunday, November 16, welcoming enthusiastic players, families, and community supporters to the state-of-the-art facility at 59 Church Street, Brampton.

The three-day event showcased outstanding sportsmanship and competition across multiple age groups and skill levels. As part of the festivities, Mayor Patrick Brown (above, 7th right) and Regional Councillor Paul Vicente (left) visited the facility to greet participants, offer words of encouragement, and present official certificates to recognize their dedication and achievements. 

“We are thrilled to host an event that brings our community together through tennis,” said Charles Gembes (back row, third right), Head Tennis Professional at PRC Brampton. “Having Mayor Brown and Councillor Vicente join us was an honour, and it made the experience even more memorable for our players.”

PRC Brampton continues to build on its commitment to providing accessible, community-focused tennis programming throughout the region. Events like the Mayor’s Cup help celebrate local talent while fostering a vibrant and inclusive sporting environment.

For more information about upcoming tournaments, programs, and membership opportunities, visit our website: https://www.premierracquetclubs.com.

We Want Your Club and Regional News!

Is your club hosting a significant tournament or event, does it have an anniversary coming up, is there a volunteer or player who deserves recognition for their contributions? If so, we want to hear about it. Just send a photo and a short write up to us and we’ll feature it in SPIN in our OTA Club and Regional News section. To submit a story for consideration, just email pmalcomson@tennisontario.com. Tell us why you’re great! 

Tournaments - Community -

Outreach -Courses

Click the calendar above to see the live list of upcoming events

OTA Marketplace

Silent Partner Black Friday Promo on Now!

The Silent Partner Black Friday promotion is on now, until December 1! This is our best sale of the season, with 20% off all ball machines, pickleball included, and a sale on all our accessories and balls. Visit www.sptennis.ca for promo details and to purchase your new Silent Partner ball machine! Great Holiday Season gift! 

Tennispot Business Opportunity

Whether you manage a tennis club, a pro shop, a multi-sport or entertainment complex, a community centre, or just want one in your own home, the Tennispot tennis simulator by On Screen Sports allows you and your customers to experience cutting-edge tennis simulation like never before! With advanced tracking sensors Tennispot captures ball speed, spin, and player movements for realistic training and match play. 

Perfect for all skill levels, Tennispot lets players enjoy tennis anytime, anywhere! 

Start your own tennis simulator business or add it to your existing facility to attract more players and boost revenue - a great way to earn extra income if you’re a seasonal pro with clients who want to keep learning all year. 

To see how you can build your own tennis simulator business and to arrange for a product demo, click here. 

Get in the game today! 

About On Screen Sports
On Screen Sports is part of the Golfzon Newdin Group, the world's largest indoor entertainment company, with over 40,000 sports simulators installed in over 700 locations in 65+ countries. Golfzon North, located in Vaughan is the Canadian distributor of Golfzon golf simulators, Tennispot tennis simulators, Strikezon baseball simulators and Prosimu Auto Racing Simulators. 

A Marketplace for Everything Tennis

Whether you’re pro advertising your coaching services, a company wanting to reach the tennis enthusiast, a club looking for new members or you just want to sell some old wooden tennis racquets – you can reach over 15,000 tennis players in Ontario each week via our weekly newsletter SPIN, with an ad in the OTA Marketplace section. Listings and pictures are only $125 per week and all we need is a horizontal image like the one above (500 pixels deep X 800 pixels wide) and a couple of paragraphs. We’ll do the rest! Need creative help? We offer creative services at a reasonable cost. For more info, email pmalcomson@tennisontario.com. Include “OTA Marketplace" in the Subject line.