Week of September 29, 2023
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Executive DirectorThe Ontario Tennis Association |
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Permanent, Full Time. Toronto, Ontario. 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. |
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Marina Stakusic Wins at Berkeley! |
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Former OTA junior star Marina Stakusic (18yrs., Toronto) won her second consecutive ITF tournament last week; the W60 in Berkeley, California. Stakusic defeated American qualifier Allie Kiick 6-3, 6-4 in the final after taking out the top-seeded American Madison Brengle 6-4, 2-0 (ret.) in the quarter finals. Marina also won a W25 singles title in Spain in early September. The recent results have resulted in Marina’s highest-ever WTA ranking of 301! Congratulations Marina! For complete Berkeley results, click here. |
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2023 Credit Valley Club Championships |
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Girls. Set. Match. at St. Davids Tennis Club |
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St. Davids Tennis Club in Lions Club Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake was the host venue recently for a wonderful Girls-Set-Match event. The tournament Director was 17-year-old Kendra Osa, building on the leadership skills she learned in the 2022 Inspire-Through-Sport program and beyond. Kendra assembled a team of female volunteers including students, educators, and supportive players of various ages and skill levels. The OTA tournament system advertised the event, filling up the waitlist in less than three days. Players and their families traveled from as far as Cambridge, Erin, Thornhill and Oakville … joining forces with players from throughout Niagara. The girls ranged in age from 9 to 14 and had a variety of playing experience. They exemplified kindness and sportsmanship with each other, generating a very positive vibe throughout the event. All expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be among girls and women, and to discuss the possibilities that come with learning and playing tennis. Opportunities to be involved in projects and learn leadership skills was of particular interest. The biggest takeaway at the end of the day: “Let’s do more of this!" Girls. Set. Match. tournaments, initiated by Tennis Canada in partnership with the Ontario Tennis Association and National Bank, provide girls between 10 and 14 years of age with a unique opportunity to compete in a fun, short-format tournament that is removed from the pressure of regular competition. As well as playing in the tournament, the participants are treated to a Pizza Party, and they are given a free Girls. Set. Match. sweater. For more information on Girls. Set. Match., click here |
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Merchant of Tennis Sale!!! |
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Tennis Canada Names Gavin Ziv as new CEO |
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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. |
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Dale Power Benefit Tennis Tournament |
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The Dale Power Benefit Tennis Tournament and Dinner was held at Gananoque last Saturday and it was a smashing success! With close to 30 participants, the event started off with a doubles “mixed and matches” round robin, some refreshments at Chez Kent McLeod and Linda Pollon and then a five course meal and awards presentations at Maple Leaf restaurant. There was lots of love, kindness, laughter, stories as well as live music from Phil Leger and Peter Wardrope to cap off a great evening of tennis with friends united in supporting Dale. Thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the event. Special thanks to Ted Thompson and Yonex for their support, Pavel Soupal and his team at Maple Leaf restaurant for a beautiful meal and Kent, Linda and Sarah for hosting and organizing this memorable edition of the annual Gan Open! It was great to see Dale (above, 2nd right), back in action and making so many people happy while chasing the little yellow ball. Truly: “Over the net, in the green, between the lines…”, everyone is already looking forward to the next year! |
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OTA Club and Regional News |
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Latest OTA Southwest Region Newsletter! |
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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! |
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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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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. |
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