ONTennis Podcast
July 10, 2026
ONTENNIS Podcast: Karl Hale
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In this episode of the ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis we're joined by Tennis Canada’s CEO Gavin Ziv.
Gavin has spent most of his life around tennis. He got the tennis bug playing with his family as a youngster in the Thornhill area, later joining a couple of local clubs, taking some lessons and playing a little junior tennis.
His family took him to the Canadian Open (now the National Bank Open presented by Rogers) when he was young and he was hooked for life! Gavin answered an ad in the paper looking for ball kids for the tournament in 1986 but was too young. He tried out again in 1987, made the squad and that is where his journey with Tennis Canada in began. In 1995 he furthered his role as a Tennis Canada volunteer, part of the ball crew committee and later as co-committee head for the ball crew team.
Gavin joined Tennis Canada as a Marketing Intern in 1998 and got his first full-time position as tournament operations manager in 2001. He rose through the ranks at Tennis Canada, taking on positions including Director, Professional and National Events Tournament Manager, VP of Professional Events & NBO Managing Director and Chief Tournaments Officer of the National Bank Open, before being named Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Canada September of 2023.
Gavin has not missed being at the NBO for 40 years and has many great memories and stories to tell! Watch or listen as he talks about the tournament’s early days at the first York University site, his involvement with the ATP and the WTA, Davis Cup and Billie Jean Cup memories, behind-the-scenes stories from the NBO and his thoughts about some of Canada’s great Canadian players like Daniel Nestor, Milos Raonic, Gaby Dabrowski. Leylah Annie Fernandez, Denis Shapovalov, and of course Bianca Andreescu and Vicky Mboko! He also talks about the future of Canadian tennis and how important his role, and that of Tennis Canada’s, is in growing the sport at the grassroots level across the country.
Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts. View it on the OTA’s Youtube channel, OTATV, here.
June 20, 2025
ONTENNIS Podcast: Karl Hale
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In this episode of the ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis we're joined by Karl Hale. Karl is best known as the long-standing Tournament Director of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, one of the most prestigious events on the ATP and WTA tours.
But there’s a whole lot more to know about Karl!
A life-long tennis enthusiast, Karl played his junior tennis in the OTA system. He gained a tennis college scholarship in the US and launched his pro career as a top player for Jamaica’s Davis Cup team, where he competed from 1988–1999 and in 2004.
After his pro playing days were over, he became a high-level coach – teaching in Japan, and later at several prominent clubs in the Toronto area. He coached Canada’s Fed Cup team to a World Group play-off in 2003 and later returned to lead the Jamaican Davis Cup squad.
Over the past few years, he has also added Club Owner to his resume, currently operating 3 Premier Racquet Club locations in Markham, Brampton and Mississauga. He also founded Premium Court, a tennis and pickleball court construction company.
Karl is also the Founder and Chair of the Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, which has raised over $5 million and built 27 schools across Jamaica.
Let Karl tell you about his life-long journey in tennis, his experience as Tournament Director at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, and the many great stories he accumulated along the way!
Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts. View it on the OTA’s Youtube channel, OTATV, here.
November 22, 2024
ONTENNIS Podcast: Irwin Tobias
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In this episode of the ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis we're joined by Irwin Tobias, a prominent figure in Canadian tennis scene. Irwin has played and worked in tennis for over 60 years, seeing the sport evolve from a grassroots seasonal community pastime to the incredibly popular year-round sport that it is today.
His love for tennis began as a recreational player in north Toronto in the 1960’s. Career-wise, his first foray into tennis in a professional capacity was during his school years, when he worked part-time at a local community centre that had tennis courts. After graduating from university, Irwin’s first full-time job was at The Mayfair Clubs, one of Canada’s first and largest indoor tennis clubs. He spent the next 38 years there, holding various roles, including President. More recently, Irwin has been with Tennis Canada, where he has managed Masters Tennis since 2012.
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone with a tennis Rolodex as big as Irwin’s. Let Irwin’s tell you about his life-long journey in tennis and many great stories about the sport and its biggest personalities! A must-listen for any fan of Canadian tennis! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts. View it on the OTA’s Youtube channel OTATV here.
August 02, 2024
ONTENNIS Podcast: Marina Stakusic
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The ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis caught up with one of Team Canada’s heroes from last year’s Billie Jean King Cup championship win, Marina Stakusic! Marina is joined by her current coach and former guest of the ONTENNIS Podcast Rob Steckley. Listen in as we get to know Marina a little better and find out about what it was like to win the BJK Cup trophy, what her early competitive days were like and what her goals are now. There’s also some great insight from Rob, who formerly coached players like Lucie Safarova, as to what Marina needs to do to become a great champion! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts. Enjoy!
November 02, 2023
ONTENNIS Podcast: Pierre Lamarche
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The ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis caught up with Pierre Lamarche to talk all things tennis. Player, coach, mentor, Captain, Hall of Famer and Academy builder; there is no one who has contributed more to Canadian Tennis than Pierre. Listen in as Pierre talks about his early days as a player and later as a coach and Davis Cup/Fed Cup/Olympic captain while at Tennis Canada. Learn how he built the high-performance academy business in Canada through the founding of All Canadian Sports Management and ACE Academy. Find out where he sees tennis in Canada in the future and much more! A must-listen to for any fan of Canadian tennis! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
August 17, 2023
ONTENNIS Podcast: Arash Madani
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Check out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis. In this episode, we are pleased have Arash Madani from Rogers Sportsnet. He has covered and interviewed many of the top ranked players on the ATP and WTA. What are his inside views on professional tennis and Canada’s Davis Cup victory? And he can hit a mean ball!Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
September 29, 2022
ONTENNIS Podcast: Rachel Gould and Nikki Carnovale
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Check out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis. In this episode, we are pleased to welcome back Nikki Carnovale and Rachel Gould, the founders of Inspire Through Sport. Inspire Through Sport is an organization designed to provide programs, courses, resources, and hands-on experience, and to foster inspirational leadership development. The Ontario Tennis Association, along with The Tennis Professionals Association (TPA), the coaching arm of Tennis Canada, has partnered with Inspire Through Sport to deliver this amazing pilot mentorship program for girls aged 14-17. Listen to Rachel and Nikki as they take us through the organizations vision and how important female role models were in their early years as players and coaches! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
August 10, 2022
ONTENNIS Podcast: Top Canadian Juniors Vicky Mboko and Kayla Cross!
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Check out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Merchant of Tennis. In this episode, fresh off their National Bank Open appearances, we chat with two of the best junior players in Canada and the world, Vicki Mboko, 15, from Burlington and Kayla Cross, 17, from London. The pair had just finished a fantastic doubles match in the main draw of the NBO in Toronto when they visited the ONTENNIS Podcast studio to talk about their experience playing singles and doubles in their first WTA event, their recent success in Junior Grand Slams as well as their first pro tennis titles. They also take us through their early days playing OTA tournaments, their training with Tennis Canada and their recent travels around the globe playing junior and pro events. This is a must-listen-to podcast for every young competitive tennis player who wants to achieve their dream! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
March 9, 2021
ONTENNIS Podcast: Girls Leading Girls Tennis!
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Check out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast for 2021. In this episode, part of our “Women in Tennis” series, we chat with two of the co-founders of Girls Leading Girls Tennis - Nikki Carnovale and Rachel Gould. GLG Tennis was launched to help empower young female tennis players and coaches both on and off the court. Nikki and Rachel were both elite competitive junior and college players who have gone on to coach at high levels as well. Listen as Rachel and Nikki tell how their lives as players and coaches have been shaped by strong female role models and how they want to help give back to the next generation of girls and young women, both on and off the court, through GLG Tennis! This is a must-listen-to podcast for every young female competitive tennis player and aspiring coach and their families! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
May 22, 2020
COVID-19 ONTENNIS Podcast with OTA’s Jim Boyce!
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Check out this SPECIAL edition of the ONTENNIS Podcast presented by Mayfair Clubs. In this episode, we speak with the OTA’s President and CEO Jim Boyce about the effects of COVID-19 on tennis in the province. Jim discusses how the tennis landscape has changed since the pandemic and what measures the OTA’s member clubs and their members will face as they attempt to re-open safely. In a dynamic, ever-changing environment, Jim talks about the OTA’s role, the clubs and academies' challenges, and the responsibilities and directions outlined by the various levels of government that will shape the way tennis is played as we return to the courts! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
May 8, 2020
Check Out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast Celebrating Mayfair Clubs 50th
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Mayfair Clubs has been synonymous with tennis in the Greater Toronto Area since 1970. Founded as a single, 4 court location just north of Toronto by a group of tennis enthusiasts led by Mr. Joe Zentil and Mr. Harold Soupcoff, Mayfair Clubs is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2020. Over the years the club has grown to 4 locations and has expanded from a tennis-only facility to include squash, swimming, fitness and more. It has a colourful history, a long tradition of promoting the sport and it has produced some of Canada’s best players. Just about anyone who has played tennis in the past 50 years in the GTA has likely visited at least one of the Mayfair Clubs locations. Listen as President and CEO Melissa Raghurai and Director of Tennis Ken Crosina take us through the chapters of the Mayfair story and have a look into the future growth of the organization. Happy Anniversary Mayfair! Listen to the episode on Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
March 4, 2020
Stacey Allaster Featured in ONTENNIS Podcast Presented by Mayfair Clubs
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From humble beginnings as a young player and coach in Welland, Stacey Allaster became one of the most powerful female executives in sport. After working at the OTA, she rose to become the Tournament Director of the Rogers Cup, the CEO of the WTA and is now Chief Executive, Professional Tennis for the USTA. Stacey’s story is an inspiration for anyone who dreams of having a career in tennis; whether as a player, coach or administrator. Check out the latest ONTENNIS Podcast Presented by Mayfair Clubs to hear about her incredible journey! To listen to Stacey and to enjoy past and future podcasts visit Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
February 6, 2020
ONTENNIS Podcast Featuring UTR President Anne Worcester
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Check out the first ONTENNIS Podcast of 2020. In this episode, the first of a new series, “Women in Tennis”, we chat with Universal Tennis President Anne Worcester. Anne has had an illustrious career in the tennis business; she was the first female CEO of the WTA, Tournament Director of the WTA/ATP Connecticut Open for 20 years and is now leading the charge for the exciting Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) system. With over 14,000,000 recorded matches worldwide in 2019 – and growing - UTR powered by Oracle is the most accurate global rating system, used by the world’s premier tennis academies, clubs, colleges, high schools, organizations and tournaments. Listen in as Anne talks about her journey through the tennis world and about the exciting future she envisions for Universal Tennis! This is a must-listen podcast for every competitive tennis player, coach, club leader, parent and fan!
To listen to Anne and to enjoy past and future podcasts visit Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
September 30, 2019
The OTA chats with American tennis star James Blake for our ONTENNIS podcast series.
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We caught up with James when he was in town to play in the RPIA Championships against Andy Roddick, Jim Courier and Robbie Ginepri. Listen to him talk about his early junior days, his college experience at Harvard, his pro career highlights and his post-playing days as a commentator for the Tennis Channel, his role as Tournament Director of the Miami Open and more. His thoughts about player development, the current American tennis scene and what he thinks of our young Canadian pros are insightful and thought provoking – you won’t want to miss them.
To listen to our conversation with James, our previous podcasts and future episodes visit Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
May 21, 2019
OTA Releases 2nd ONTENNIS Podcast with guest Rob Steckley!
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The OTA released its second episode of the “ONTENNIS Podcast” platform with an exclusive interview with Canadian former ATP tennis player and current ATP/WTA coach Rob Steckley. Known for his successful coaching tenure with WTA stars including Eugenie Bouchard, Aleksandra Wozniak, Sania Mirza and Lucie Safarova; and more recently with #NextGen Canadian superstar Denis Shapovalov, Rob gives some great insight into what it’s like at the elite levels tennis as both a player and coach.
While you’re listening to Rob, don’t forget to also listen to our very first episode with Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu from Mississauga, Ontario. A former OTA junior competitor, Bianca has shot into the world tennis stage recently, winning the so-called “5th Major” at Indian Wells in March. Her meteoric rise has got the tennis world’s attention, especially other WTA tour stars. Listen in as ONTENNIS delves into her thoughts about that dramatic tournament victory, her recent climb in the WTA world rankings, her early days as a junior in Ontario and around the world, her favorite food and much more!
To listen to Rob, Bianca, and future podcast episodes, visit Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
April 18, 2019
OTA Launches New ONTENNIS Podcast Series with Bianca!
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The OTA launched its new podcast series ONTENNIS today with an exclusive interview with Canadian tennis sensation Bianca Andreescu from Mississauga, Ontario. A former OTA junior competitor, Bianca has shot into the world tennis stage recently, winning the so-called “5th Major” at Indian Wells in March. Her meteoric rise has got the tennis world’s attention, especially other WTA tour stars. Listen in as ONTENNIS delves into her thoughts about that dramatic tournament victory, her recent climb in the WTA world rankings, her early days as a junior in Ontario and around the world, her favorite food and much more!
To listen to Bianca, and future episodes visit Soundcloud here or search ONTENNIS on Apple and Spotify podcasts.