Week of October 27, 2023

Sebov Wins ITF W60 in Saguenay!

Katherine Sebov (Woodbridge) won the National Bank Challenger ITF W60 women’s singles title in Saguenay, Quebec last week.

Seeded first, Sebov defeated the 8th seed, Hungarian Fanny Stollar, 6-4, 6-4 in the final. Sebov has had success in Saguenay in the past, winning in 2018 and reaching the final last year. 

There was a strong Canadian presence in the tournament. Prior to defeating Stollar, Sebov defeated three other Canadians; Scarlett Nicholson, Victoria Mboko, and Isabelle Boulais. Congratulations Katherine!

For complete tournament results, click here

2023 OTA Distinguished Service Awards

The OTA recently hosted its annual Distinguished Service Awards dinner at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. The event honoured 2023’s three deserving recipients (above, left to right), Diane Lang, Rick Bertozzi and Stuart Teather. Congratulations and thank-you to all recipients from the OTA team! See each honouree’s bio below.

Diane Lang

Diane is a dedicated club volunteer and enthusiastic tennis player whose contributions span 40+ years.

Diane’s first foray into tennis volunteering began with the Scarborough Tennis Federation (STF) in 1979, serving as secretary, then taking a short break to start a family and returning in 1983-1984 as STF Treasurer. Diane’s early contributions to tennis in Scarborough have contributed in a significant way to STF’s success as one of the most engaged regions of the Ontario Tennis Association (OTA), boasting 19 member clubs and over 3,600 adult and junior players.

Diane’s most steadfast commitment to tennis has been within her local community. She along with husband Dan joined the Guildwood Tennis Club (formerly Kiwaniwood) in 1977 and have supported tennis in the community ever since. She served in various small ways at the club level throughout the 80’s and 90’s. As a teacher at Sir Wilfred Laurier Collegiate, Diane supervised tennis teams and helped teens improve their skills. Even now, her former connections help to facilitate community service opportunities for teens who assist in summer camps for juniors.

In 2021 Diane became President of Guildwood Tennis Club, having served 20 years prior as their Treasurer. She is especially proud of her strong leadership team who together have built a healthy club membership, fantastic home-grown junior program and built a solid financial foundation needed for a future clubhouse facility.

Juggling multiple challenges is nothing new for Diane, as she has also acted as Tennis Liaison Director at Tam Heather for the past six years. Under her leadership, a Tennis Committee was formed with broad representation including juniors, recreational and competitive players. Its role is to recommend policies that promote accessibility and fun for all members.

Diane is described by her peers as kind and thoughtful and always willing to help where needed: a truly dedicated tennis volunteer and most worthy of this outstanding award.

Rick Bertozzi

Rick has been involved in tennis volunteerism for over 25 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 and still volunteers as a Division Chair. 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 the last six years as Vice-Chair Finance and Administration. Rick served admirably at a time of extreme financial challenges, going from a healthy $2M budget, to having the OTA’s funding streams seriously reduced while the world tried to recover from a global pandemic. Despite these setbacks, Rick worked well with OTA staff and board and the Association’s finances remain sound to this day.

Rick continues to be an avid tennis player and is a Tennis Canada Certified Club Pro 1 who has volunteered his time and expertise in running clinics and private lessons to assist with player development over the years. He is inspiration to others seeking to make a difference in their community, and most deserving of this award.

Stuart Teather

Over the last two decades, Stuart has demonstrated what a dedicated and conscientious volunteer looks like to the Toronto community and to tennis in Ontario.

Stuart joined the Davisville Tennis Club in 2001 and quickly became an integral part of the Davisville tennis community. He joined the board in 2002 as Treasurer, became President in 2004 and has served in that capacity ever since. Davisville is often seen as one of the busiest and most vibrant clubs in Toronto and Stuart’s leadership helps to keep it very successful. He is an exemplary leader and an exceptional event/tournament organizer and community builder. He is frequently called on for advice, and on matters as varied as structuring programming, court maintenance, and club governance.

For the past 15 years, Stuart has chaired or co-led the organizing committee for Davisville Cup, an annual event that has raised over $165,000 for the Philpott Foundation, fostering junior tennis in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the GTA. His support of this event is a great example of his commitment to tennis and its development. It also reflects the priority he places on the culture of Davisville Tennis Club community as a place where all are welcome with tennis at its heart.

Not one to sit on his laurels, Stuart has also been involved with the InterCounty Tennis Association (ICTA) since 2007. He was Tournament Director for 12 year and has been Vice President since 2018. He is an invaluable member of the ICTA Board and devotes hundreds of hours on a yearly basis to make sure the Association’s work is proper and professional, from working on the Association’s by-laws, to assisting with marketing efforts, to networking with partners and sponsors.

His peers, colleagues and friends describe him as a hard-working, devoted, genuine, caring and selfless volunteer. Stuart is a true leader and professional, exemplifying the true spirit of this most deserving award.

ITF W60 Tevlin Challenger at

Sobeys Stadium

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

The ITF Women’s Professional Tour continued in Canada this week with the W60 Tevlin Challenger at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto. Seven players from Canada (Ontario) were entered into the singles main draw at the beginning of the week. The singles semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, beginning at 11am, with the doubles to follow. The singles final is scheduled for Sunday at noon. Come out and watch some great pro tennis – parking and admission is free.

For complete singles and doubles results and order of play, click here.

Three Former Ontario Players in

Pan Am Games Tennis!

Three male tennis players who previously competed in the OTA Junior and Open competitive structure are representing three different countries in tennis at the Pan Am Games in Chile. Justin Boulais is representing Canada (along with Rebecca Marino from BC on the women’s side), former OTA Junior Champion and current ATP pro Alejandro Tabilo is representing Chile and former top OTA junior and current ITF-level pro Jesse Flores is representing Costa Rica, (pictured above from left to right).

Good luck to all! For complete results, click here.

Tennis Becomes Newest U Sport Addition!

Tennis Canada and U SPORTS recently announced exciting news for university tennis in Canada, as tennis becomes the first Pilot Sport (P3) in program history. This collaboration, which started this fall, will further improve the student-athlete experience, giving tennis players more opportunities to compete at a higher level within the Canadian education system. For the complete Tennis Canada announcement, click here.

Photo courtesy of Tennis Canada/Mathieu Bélanger

About U SPORTS

U SPORTS is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. Every year, over 20,000 student-athletes and 900 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U SPORTS also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.usports.ca or follow us on:

Twitter: @USPORTSca

Facebook: @USPORTSCanada

Instagram: @USPORTSca

YouTube: @USPORTSca

Stacey Allaster Honoured by

Women’s Sport Foundation

The Women's Sports Foundation's Annual Salute to Women in Sports® Convenes Hundreds to Celebrate Milestone Year and Girls and Women in Sports

In partnership with the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, the Billie Jean King Leadership Award, presented by Darcie Glazer Kassewitz and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation, recognizes an individual or group who demonstrates outstanding leadership and makes significant contributions to the advancement of women through achievements in sport and the workplace.

The honorees for this year's awards included Stacey Allaster – Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, United States Tennis Association and US Open Tournament Director. For over 30 years, Stacey, born in Windsor and raised in Welland, Ontario, has been a passionate and determined advocate for gender equality in tennis — from the $1 billion she generated for female players as chairman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, to her brilliant leadership as the first woman tournament director of the US Open in its more than 140-year history - paving a path to the C-suite that other women can follow.

Prior to her work with the WTA and the USTA, Stacey got her tennis career started as a player at the Welland Tennis Club and later became the Membership Sales Coordinator and Player Development Director with the OTA. She moved on to Tennis Canada, where she held the roles of VP Sales and Marketing and Rogers Cup (now NBO) Tournament Director.

Congratulations to Stacey from the OTA board and staff for being honoured with this prestigious award!

To learn more about Stacey, check out a past episode of the OTA ONTENNIS Podcast featuring her, here.

About the Women's Sports Foundation

The Women's Sports Foundation exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate and a catalyst. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we strengthen and expand participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. From its inception to Title IX's 50th anniversary in 2022, WSF has invested over $100 million in these impact efforts, helping to shape the lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes, elite athletes, and coaches. We're building a future where every girl and woman can #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport participation. All girls. All women. All sports® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

Premier Racquet Club U9/U10

Circuit Results

Thirty-six players participated in the Premier Racquet Club U9/U10 Circuit stop last weekend in Markham. Players were guaranteed 2 matches with results counting towards the year-end points race. Pictured above, left to right, U9 finalist Landon Cruz and champion Ajayan Kumaaravel. For complete results, click here.

Sobeys Stadium Adult 3.0 Results

Over 30 players participated in last weekend’s 3.0 singles tournament at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto. In women’s singles action, Kirsty Allen, above right, defeated Zehui Chu, above left, 6-2, 6.3 in the final. The men’s singles final saw Matthew Leon, above right, defeat Shi Hu 6-7(3), 6-2, 1-0(8). For complete tournament results, click here.

New Instructor Course at Sobeys Stadium

The OTA is pleased to announce that we will be hosting an Instructor Level 1 Introductory course this November at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto. This is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring coaches and those looking to enhance their coaching skills at an introductory level.

Sobeys Instructor Level 1 Introductory Course Details:

• Location: Sobeys Stadium
• Address: 1 Shoreham Dr, Toronto, ON

Dates and Format:

• November 5th: Webinar (Time to be Announced)
• November 6th-7th: On-Court (8am to 4pm)
• November 12th: Webinar (Time to be Announced)
• November 13th: On-Court (8am to 4pm)
• November 20th: On-Court (8am to 4pm)

Cost: $690 plus HST Registration: Click here to register

The Instructor Level 1 Introductory course is designed to provide aspiring coaches and those new to coaching with a solid foundation in coaching principles.

Book Now – Limited Space Available!

If you have any questions or concerns, please email achappell@tennisontario.com.

We look forward to seeing you at Sobeys Stadium this November for an impactful and rewarding learning experience.

HEAD Prestige 2023 at Merchant of Tennis

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Store hours and updated information: www.merchantoftennis.com/pages/contact-us

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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.

OTA Club and Regional News

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, achappell@tennisontario.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

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.