Week of October 6, 2023

Stakusic Named ITF Player of the Month!

The International Tennis Frederation named Marina Stakusic (18, Toronto) as its Women’s Tour Player of the Month for September. A former OTA junior standout, Stakusic won 2 ITF professional tournaments in September and rose to a career-high 297 on the the WTA singles ranking board! For the Complete ITF story, click here.

Photo courtesy of the ITF. Congratulations Marina!

Executive Director

The Ontario Tennis Association

Permanent, Full Time. Toronto, Ontario.

Application Deadline October 10.

The Ontario Tennis Association is seeking an Executive Director to lead the organization. The full-time position, located at the OTA offices at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, will be responsible for effectively leading, managing and conducting the affairs of the OTA in accordance with the Association’s mission, by-laws, policies, and procedures, and in keeping with the Board of Directors’ strategic priorities and approved directions.

To learn more about the position and to apply, click here. Applications will be accepted until October 10, 2023. 

Tennis Canada Honours

Routliffe and Dabrowski at Sobeys Stadium!

Tennis Canada recently erected a banner on the wall of Sobeys Stadium congratulating Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski on their US Open Women’s Doubles title! Dabrowski, from Ottawa adds this title to her two Mixed Doubles Majors crowns! For Routliffe, who was born in New Zealand and moved to Caledon, Ontario as a youngster, the US Open victory is her first doubles major title. Although currently representing New Zealand, Routliffe has strong Canadian roots and currently calls Montreal her home when she is not travelling. Both players played numerous OTA junior tournaments as juniors. Thanks to Tennis Canada for including the OTA logo on the banner, recognizing the contribution the OTA tournament system had in helping to develop these two great players!

Niagara Region Buffalo

Cross-Border Challenge!

There’s nothing like the camaraderie and adventure of Team Tennis to provide a happy experience for all concerned. So, when Grimsby TC coach, Joel Cruz, received an invitation from fellow TPA coach Jason Joseph to bring a team from Niagara to the Buffalo Racquet Club for a cross-border challenge, he was quick to accept. The players ranged from U9 to U14 and played multiple matches of both singles and doubles for over three hours on Saturday afternoon (September 30). The weather was perfect, the parents were comfortable, and the coaches kept the players in constant motion. A finale including pizza was very well received, and plans are underway for a return engagement in Canada.

This endeavour had its beginnings with the assembling of two teams from Niagara for the Tennis Rocks event at Burlington TC on August 13th. The players are from various municipalities from one end of Niagara to the other and have enjoyed staying together for training sessions since their Tennis Rocks experience. It was a Facebook posting that prompted Jason to reach out to his colleague from earlier times at Niagara Academy of Tennis in Vineland. Connections are one of the most important aspects of our tennis experience, and it’s always special when they’re revisited over the years.

Joel sent a memo to the families after the event, reminding the players how fortunate they are to have such supportive parents. It takes a lot of elements working together to create great experiences for our kids, but it’s joyful to see them loving tennis and learning so many valuable life lessons. 

Special thanks to SW Regional Chair Rosemary Goodwin for providing the OTA with pictures and the story.

Pictured below, left to right, Jason Joseph, Buffalo Racquet Club and Joel Cruz, Grimsby Tennis Club.

Register for UTR Flex Leagues Session 8 in

Toronto and Ottawa

Session 8 of the UTR Flex Leagues in Toronto and Ottawa kick off on October 17. The entry deadline is October 16. The five-week session ends November 20.

UT Flex Leagues

There are active Flex Leagues in over 65 cities in the US and Europe. Players wishing to join a local Flex League, including the OTA Flex Leagues, can do so by becoming a FREE Universal Tennis member and registering to play four matches with players at their level. Leagues are five weeks long. Level-based play ensures competitive matches and players choose when and where they play, working around their own schedule.

All Ontario Flex League matches count toward a player's Verified UTR – a great added value for all competitors.

The UTR Rating Index

Flex Leagues match results contribute towards a player’s Verified Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), an index intended to be a reliable and accurate rating of a players tennis skill. UTR rates all players - men, women, and children - on a single 16-point scale (with two decimal places, e.g., 11.29), that works for players globally, regardless of their skill level; from beginners to top professional competitors. The UTR's algorithm calculates a player’s rating from their last 30 eligible matches that have been played within the preceding 12 months. The main data points are the percentage of games won (not simply the won/lost result), and the opponent’s rating. Each match played generates a rating; a player’s UTR is a weighted average of all eligible matches.

The UTR rating is the world’s most accurate rating platform. Universal Tennis began the system over 15 years ago and today there are over 800,000 players worldwide with a UTR rating! Players are measured on the same rating scale as touring pros like Novak Djokovic (UTR 16.19), Leylah Fernandez (UTR 12.82), Denis Shapovalov (UTR 15.58) and Simona Halep (UTR 13.21), as well as thousands of US college athletes and hundreds of thousands of recreational players!
 
UTR uses a single scale, for both male and female players, that embraces athletes of any age. It is a common yardstick that makes it easy to mix genders and age groups for close, enjoyable matches.

How do you rate? Now, it’s your turn to get counted!

Become a FREE Universal Tennis Member here.

To find out more about the OTA Flex Leagues or to register as a competitor for the Toronto Flex League or the Ottawa Flex League, visit OTA Flex Leagues here. Be sure to understand and create your Universal Tennis profile if you have not already done so - you won't be able to access the league registration without one!

Merchant of Tennis Sale!!!

Need to stock up for fall tennis? Save on shoes, clothing & more while supplies last.
Shop now: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/sale

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/

Sign up for the latest on products, services and sale events:
www.merchantoftennis.com/pages/newsletter

Shop Gift Cards: www.merchantoftennis.com/collections/gift-cards/

Tennis Canada Names Gavin Ziv as new CEO

The Chair of Tennis Canada Peter Kruyt announced on Tuesday that following a rigorous global search, the board has approved Gavin Ziv to become its new Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of Michael Downey at the end of the year.

“Tennis Canada was blessed with exceptional candidates during this process, and we are delighted Gavin rose to the occasion. The board unanimously extends its congratulations to him on his well-deserved promotion,” said Kruyt. “Gavin lives and breathes the Tennis Canada mission on a daily basis, he is highly respected in the industry and has already contributed to many chapters of growth across all aspects of our game.”

Ziv has spent more than 25 years at Tennis Canada, most recently in the position of Chief Tournaments Officer, spearheading the ATP and WTA 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers tournaments in both Toronto and Montreal. He will assume his new role in the late fall, with Downey officially stepping down at the end of December 2023.

“It’s an honour to be named as the next Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Canada at this time of growth in our sport,” said Ziv, 48. “We have become a world-leading tennis nation under Michael’s excellent stewardship and I look forward to building upon his legacy by mapping out the best possible future for our sport in Canada. Together with the Tennis Canada Board and our passionate staff we will continue to raise the bar on winning, elevate the fan experience by being digital-first, provide broader access to year-round facilities and create a safe and inclusive environment for all.”

Ziv was instrumental in leading Canadian negotiations to secure equal prize money for WTA players at the National Bank Open starting in 2027 and was named one of 20 Ambassadors for Game. Set. Equity., a strategy to advance gender equity in Canadian tennis. He also played an integral part in negotiating the agreement for the expansion of the ATP/WTA 1000 events from seven days to a 12-day format by 2025.

In his many years at Tennis Canada, Ziv has been responsible for all facets of the international competitive structure in Canada as well as officiating, and overseeing all professional tennis events including the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup ties.

After serving on the WTA Board from 2018-2023 Ziv was elected to the new WTA Ventures Board in early 2023. He has also served on the ATP Media Board since 2017 and is the first Tennis Canada executive in history to concurrently sit on WTA and ATP boards, reflecting his reputation for effective collaboration and consensus building.

“I couldn’t think of anyone more appropriate to steer the Tennis Canada ship into the future,” said Downey, who spent 15 years as Tennis Canada’s President and CEO. “Gavin knows the business inside out and has spent 25 years working passionately for the greater good of our sport. Most recently, he crafted our five-year strategic plan and 10-year revenue forecast for the National Bank Opens. I have every confidence that, with Gavin at the helm, Tennis Canada will continue to reach new heights.”

After an illustrious career split over two terms, Downey announced in February that his tenure will come to an end on December 31, 2023. Under his leadership, the organization experienced success both on and off the court that is unparalleled in its 133-year history.

A timeline of Ziv’s career at Tennis Canada can be seen here.

The staff at the OTA congratulates Gavin and looks forward to working with him and his team!

Story and photo courtesy of Tennis Canada.

OTA Club and Regional News

Central Tennis Club Junior Tournament

Central Tennis Club in Toronto’s west end recently held their junior tournament. A total of 22 participants played in the event. Special thanks to club pro Stan Palmateer, and junior director Mary Erlick for running a great event!

Latest OTA Southwest Region Newsletter!

The OTA’s Southwest Region has had a very busy summer! Led by SW Regional Chair Rosemary Goodwin, clubs and venues in the region have hosted numerous tennis events, including Girls. Set. Match. tournaments, the OTA U16 Fischer Junior National Championships and even hosting the Davis Cup trophy, honouring team Captain Frank Dancevic!

Check out the newsletter, including an interesting article from Isabel Ormond about being a Parent Coach, here. Thanks to Rosemary and the SW Region team for all they do for tennis!

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

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.