Week of October 20, 2023

Dabrowski and Routliffe Win Again!

US Open Women’s Doubles Champions Gabriela Dabrowski (above, right) and Erin Routliffe (above, left) won another WTA Women’s Doubles tournament last week – the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open in China. Dabrowski from Ottawa and Routliffe, who currently calls Montreal home, was born in New Zealand, raised in Caledon, Ontario and now plays under the New Zealand flag, were the top seeds in the tournament. They defeated the 3rd-seeded Japanese pair, Shuko Aoyama and Eno Shibahara 6-2, 6-4 in the final. The tournament victory vaulted the pair to #7 in the Race to the WTA Finals to be held in Cancun Mexico from October 29 to November 5, securing them a place in the 8-team finals for the doubles competition. Congratulations Gabriela and Erin!

ITF W60 Tevlin Challenger at Sobeys

Next Week!

The Women’s ITF Tournament Circuit makes a stop in Toronto next week. The W60 Tevlin Challenger kicks off at Sobeys Stadium on Saturday with qualifying matches, followed by main draw action commencing Monday. Top players from Ontario expected to compete in the main draw include Kathryn Sebov, ranked 152 in the world (pictured above), top junior Vicky Mboko and last months’ ITF Player of the Month, Marina Stakusic. There are also several Canadians in qualifying action. Admission and parking are free – come out to watch excellent pro tennis and cheer on our Canadian players! For complete draws and schedule, click here.

Photo: Tennis Canada/Valérie Simard.

Canadian Men’s O80 Team Win

Bronze at Worlds!

The ITF World Masters O65 – O85 Team Championships wrapped up last weekend in Mallorca, Spain.

A total of 157 teams, representing 29 countries, including 8 teams from Canada, competed for their respective age-group titles. Canada’s best result cam in the Men’s O80 competition, where the team, comprised of (left to right, above) Team Captain Irwin Tobias (Advisor Masters and Events, Tennis Canada), John Tibbits (Ontario), Ali Bacha (Quebec), Horst Dammholz (British Columbia) and Shaheer Mikhail (Ontario), who won the bronze medal from a field of 13 teams! Congratulations to them, and all the Team Canada participants. For complete tournament results, click here.

Yonex Senior Provincials Nov. 24- Dec. 3

at Sobeys Stadium

The Yonex Senior Provincial Championships will take place this year at Sobeys Stadium. Age categories starting from Over 30 will compete in singles and doubles action over a 2-week period. Doubles competition will run from October 24 to 26 with the singles being played from November 30 to December 3. The entry fee includes one singles and one doubles or two doubles, a player gift and a social event on Friday, December 1 at the Sobeys Stadium Players Lounge. The entry deadline is November 16. If you would like to enter but are not an OTA-registered competitor, click here to join. To enter the tournament, click here.

Tennis Canada’s Online Auction

Has Launched!

Bring your tennis dreams to life by bidding on EXCLUSIVE tennis experiences, EXOTIC travel destinations, RARE Collectables and more! With over 300 quality items and experiences there is something for every tennis fan. Be one of the first to check it out!

Auction Closes October 22, 11:59PM – Bid Now!

Please share this email with your friends, family, and colleagues. Together we can make an even bigger difference.

Be sure to read the item descriptions in full prior to placing your bids.

Thank you for supporting Tennis Canada and good luck!

For more questions about Tennis Canada auctions please email: auction@tenniscanada.com. 

U10 Regrouping Tryouts Held at

Sobeys Stadium

The OTA hosted Ontario Tennis Training Program open tryouts for all U9 players last weekend at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.
The tryout was intended to help select U9 players with the aim to provide them with a supplemental training program every 4 to 6 weeks throughout the next year as they transition into U10 competition. The program will begin with players using the green dot ball; however, as the program progresses, a group of selected players will transition to a regular ball in 2024.
There were close to 200 participants in the tryout this year. They were put through drills, fitness and gameplay by 10 coaches from various OTA clubs and academies. Congratulations to those who were chosen and thanks to the coaches for their help.

U14 Provincial Circuit Plus Results

The Rideau Sports Club U14 Provincial Circuit Plus wrapped up last weekend in Ottawa. There was good depth in the draws, with top NCTA players and some Toronto athletes competing for the titles. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up (pictured above left to right, boys champion Adrian Palframan, Finalist Danylo Glinnyi, Girls Champion Bronwyn Duggan and Finalist Amira Toews. Thank you to team RSC and Alex Harea for doing a great job hosting and running the event, as well as shout outs to Rachel, Pierre, Alex, Sacha and other coaches for all the work they do that goes into the player development and support of the OTA competitive structure. Great way to cap the busy competitive season! For complete tournament results, click here.

Bruce Childs Award Recipient

Mike Robinson

The Welland Tennis Club is thrilled to announce that Mike Robinson, a devoted and longstanding member of the club, and the chairperson for the Oktoberfest tournament 2023, has been awarded the prestigious Bruce Childs Award for 2023. The award was presented during the Welland Tennis Club Annual Regional Oktoberfest tournament.

Over the decades, Mike has been instrumental in organizing and leading events at the club. He has chaired, co-chaired, and participated in local, regional, provincial, and national tournaments, including the Ontario Summer Games, Oktoberfest, and Rose City Tournaments. Additionally, Mike has played a key role in overseeing the Ontario Senior Games at the regional level, while also participating at the local, regional, provincial, and national levels.

Mike, who is a physical education teacher at a local high school, has been pivotal in promoting tennis by teaching racquet courses. Alongside his wife, Mary Jane, he has managed high school tennis tournaments at the local, regional SOSSA, and OFSAA events. Furthermore, Mike has shared his expertise in tennis to other clubs in the region.

Mike has also dedicated countless hours to the maintenance of the red clay courts at the Welland Tennis Club - rolling, watering, and raking the clay. His warm, friendly, and helpful nature, whether teaching, advising, or assisting around the club, is highly valued by all. Mike is a true Ambassador for tennis, inspiring those around him with his passion and fostering a positive culture for the growth of the sport.

The Welland Tennis Club congratulates Mike on his well-deserved recognition and extends its gratitude for his invaluable contributions to the club.

Bruce Childs was a volunteer at a Toronto community tennis club years ago. As a tribute to his hard work at his tennis club in a volunteer role, one of the OTA’s former Board members felt it would be an appropriate and well-deserved tribute to name a club award in his honour. The award was established to recognize an executive member or dedicated club volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to his/her community tennis club for an extended period.

If you are an OTA-member club executive and want more information on the Bruce Childs Award, contact Andrew Chappell, at achappell@tennisontario.com.

Community Tennis Network –

Fall/Winter Session Now Available!

Earlier this year, the Ontario Tennis Association in partnership with Tennis Canada launched an exciting new initiative for recreational tennis players, Community Tennis Network, and we are excited to be continuing sessions into the Fall/Winter season!

What is Community Tennis Network?

Community Tennis Network offers a platform for recreational adult tennis players to connect with others in the community and organize friendly matches with players of similar skill levels. The program is for beginners looking to play their first match, or for advanced players looking to find new competition!

How it works:

1.    Sign Up: Join Community Tennis Network and create your profile.

2.    Find Matches: Players are placed in groups based on their level. Players will receive contact information for their respective group members to arrange matches when and where they like.

3.    Compete & Track Progress: After each match, enter your scores online to track your progress and earn prizes.

4.    Build Your WTN: Every match you play helps build your ITF World Tennis Number (WTN), reflecting your skill level and progress.
 
For the upcoming fall/winter session, Community Tennis Network locations are available in Vaughan, Markham-Richmond Hill, Toronto East, Toronto West, and Brampton. 

Learn more and sign up today: communitytennisnetwork.com.

Don’t see a network in your area? Request a CTN in your community.

ICTA Finals at Sobeys Stadium

On Saturday, September 30th teams from across the GTA competed in the ICTA Championships at Sobeys Stadium, home of the National Bank Open. Over 85 matches were played in our four leagues: Mixed, Ladies, +55 and Juniors. We were pleased to welcome back the Ladies C Level after a hiatus from the ICTA. 

Fans and players were treated to some incredible tennis, amazing fall weather and some awesome food, barbequed by fantastic ICTA Board members.

Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who participated; we hope you had a fantastic tournament.  Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this Championship so successful.
 
Please visit “Playoff Brackets – Intercounty Tennis Association“ for all the results.

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OTA Club and Regional News

Bruce Childs Award Recipient

Lorraine Eaglesham

This year the Bruce Childs award at Unionville Tennis club was awarded to club member Lorraine Eaglesham, pictured above with OTA Regional chair- North Central, Arun Prasad. Lorraine has been a key volunteer at UTC for over 30 years. Congratulations Lorraine!

Bruce Childs was a volunteer at a Toronto community tennis club years ago. As a tribute to his hard work at his tennis club in a volunteer role, one of the OTA’s former Board members felt it would be an appropriate and well-deserved tribute to name a club award in his honour. The award was established to recognize an executive member or dedicated club volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to his/her community tennis club for an extended period.

If you are an OTA-member club executive and want more information on the Bruce Childs Award, contact Andrew Chappell, achappell@tennisontario.com.

Unionville TC Shines at ICTA Championships and

Tennis Rocks

Unionville Tennis Club (UTC) has had an impressive year, with its junior teams showcasing their skills and dedication at the ICTA Championships and the Tennis Rocks event. The club's achievements have not gone unnoticed, and we are thrilled to congratulate Unionville on their stellar performance.

At the Tennis Rocks event, the UTC champions truly rocked the court with their outstanding play. The team members (pictured above) include:

• Jeffrey Feng
• Damian Smith
• Aaron Zhu
• Oscar Sounitsky
• Nolan Shi
• Derek You

Their hard work, determination, and sportsmanship shone through as they emerged victorious, earning well-deserved accolades.

The ICTA Championship also saw the UTC Super Stars put on a remarkable performance, ultimately becoming finalists in a hard-fought competition. The team members (pictured below) include:

• Alexis Lynn
• Emily Lynn
• Jeffrey Feng
• Tyler Chow
• Nolan Shi

These young athletes demonstrated exceptional talent and teamwork, proving themselves as forces to be reckoned with on the court.

Additionally, the ICTA Junior Mixed Championship (UTR/WTN verified event) C Division saw the UTC team secure 2nd place, a significant achievement for the youngest team of the entire event, with an average age of approximately 12 years old. The team members (2nd picture below) included:

• Helena Chialtas
• Taylor Marsella
• Damian Smith
• Oscar Sounitsky

We commend these young players for their dedication and impressive performances, showcasing a promising future for the club.

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

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OTA Marketplace

Mastering Doubles with Daniel Nestor!

Daniel Nestor launches new online doubles training academy!

Canadian tennis legend Daniel Nestor recently launched an online doubles training academy designed to help players maximize their potential when competing in doubles competition. The course is designed specifically for doubles players of all levels, from club players to those heading to the pros!

Daniel Nestor is widely considered one of the greatest to ever play doubles tennis. In his storied 28-year professional career, he earned an impressive record of 91 men's doubles titles, including eight Grand Slam victories, as well as an Olympic Gold Medal in 2000. Since retiring in 2018, Daniel has dedicated much of his time to teaching others the lessons he's learned throughout his career. By sharing his invaluable insights, he helps players like you elevate their doubles game at all levels!

The 41-lesson course includes over 1.5 hours of video content, covering all facets of the doubles game including, serving, returning, partnership strategy, teamwork, the mental game, tips, drills and more!

To learn more about Daniels great new online doubles training academy and to order the online course, click here.

To receive a 15% OTA discount, use promo code: OTA

Let Daniel help you to become a force to be reckoned with on the doubles court!

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.