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Among the many nominees for this 12 months’s Billie Jean King Cup Coronary heart Award is our very personal Leylah Fernandez for profitable all three of her matches throughout Canada’s 3–2 win over Belgium in Vancouver. She’s within the operating with Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia and Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan of Slovenia.
Again in April, Leylah conquered Yanina Wickmayer (6-0, 6-3) and Ysaline Bonaventure (4-6, 7-5, 6-2) after which teamed up with Gabriela Dabrowski to defeat Kirsten Flipkens and Greet Minnen (6-1, 6-2) and punch Canada’s ticket to the BJK Cup Finals in Seville, Spain, in November.
You could have till 9 a.m. (ET) on Friday, Might 19 to lock in your vote. Click here to vote.
Though Leylah’s solely 20, that is her third nomination (2023, 2021, 2020). In 2021, she took residence the Coronary heart Award after she helped Canada sweep Serbia 4–0 by profitable her two singles matches in three units apiece.
The Coronary heart Award, which is being handed out for the 14th time, acknowledges a participant who’s represented their nation with distinction, proven exemplary braveness on the court docket and demonstrated excellent dedication to the crew throughout Billie Jean King Cup competitors.
Learn additionally: Pressure Not a Problem for Leylah Fernandez at Billie Jean King Cup
The nomination will hopefully have a soothing impact on the Montrealer, who’s been on a bumpy journey since January.
She was 7–9 when she was booted out of the Prime 50 after one other early exit, this time from Rome. She secured her largest win to date this season when she overpowered No.34 Alizé Cornet.
Successful the BJK Cup Coronary heart Award will surely impart much more optimistic vibes and remind her of the top-notch tennis she performed for her nation when it actually mattered.
Milos again within the combine?
If it’s true, it will be improbable information.
It appears to be like like Milos Raonic could also be on the verge of a comeback, probably sooner slightly than later. He’s apparently aiming for the grass season in early June.
The primary indication he’d be returning got here on Might 10, when freelance sports activities reporter John Horn tweeted that he’d heard a unfastened hearsay about it.
Three days later, Guillaume Marx, Head of Efficiency at Tennis Canada, confirmed the data.
He’s saved in contact and updated with Raonic. On the press convention to wrap up Tennis Canada’s 2022 season, he stated Milos had no intention of retiring and can be making an announcement in due time.
What’s going to his comeback appear like? Will he attempt his luck at ATP 250 and even Challenger occasions? How formidable are his objectives with solely three tournaments main into the season’s third Slam?
In 2016, Milos competed within the Wimbledon remaining (after dismantling Federer within the semis) and tied his document for probably the most matches performed in a season (69). The 52 wins he posted are nonetheless his private finest.
In 2021, ranked No.22, Milos performed solely ten matches. His remaining bout was a three-set loss to Brandon Nakashima (5-7, 6-3, 7-6[4]) within the spherical of 16 on the Atlanta Open on July 28.
Now sitting at No.738, the 32-year-old can solely purpose for well being, at the least for the remainder of the season. Will he comply with Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray, who’ve clawed their manner again into the Prime 100? Or will he maintain to smaller tournaments and play for the love of the sport for the following few years?
You realize what they are saying: keep tuned.
Psychological timeout
After Leylah Fernandez, who took half within the first instalment of the WTA’s Actual Me collection by which gamers sat down to speak in regards to the significance of psychological wellness in at present’s actuality, Bianca Andreescu agreed to be featured within the second launch.
Learn additionally: The Relationship Between Mental Health and Athletic Performance
With the examples of Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, Paula Badosa and, most lately, Amanda Anisimova, the initiative led by the WTA and its companion Trendy Well being is of explicit significance and sheds gentle on a present difficulty in tennis.
Read all about Bianca and The Real Me project in the National Bank Open blog.
Deep fields
With the Rome Masters in full swing, among the gamers who have been left within the mud however nonetheless wished to get a couple of extra matches in earlier than Roland-Garros are at the moment going head-to-head at smaller tournaments.
Together with fairly a couple of large names.
The record of gamers on the BNP Paribas Primrose in Bordeaux makes the Challenger look so much like an ATP 250.
Learn additionally: Auger-Aliassime Out to Popyrin Again, Andreescu Falls to Vondrousova in Rome
There’s No.28 Jan-Lennard Struff, who was a finalist in Madrid final 12 months, in addition to No.42 Andy Murray, No.84 Stan Wawrinka, No.52 Mikael Ymer, No.61 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, No.72 Albert Ramos-Vinolas, No.73 Ilya Ivashka and the French contingent of No.44 Richard Gasquet, No.45 Adrian Mannarino, No.50 Ugo Humbert, No.67 Corentin Moutet and No.89 Arthur Rinderknech.
Plus Thiem vs. Paire within the first spherical.
It’s severe enterprise: all eight seeds are Prime 70 gamers.
There are former members of the Prime 10 and Prime 3 and even a former World No.1.
That stated, their fast dismissal from a headlining occasion is what prompted them to hop on a aircraft to the Challenger.
It occurs within the WTA, too. On Might 6 in Saint-Malo, eventual champion No.36 Sloane Stephens and No.540 Elina Svitolina collided within the semis of the WTA 125. In 2018, they battled for the WTA Finals crown.
En Espagne, au tournoi Catalogne, Sorana Cirstea (34e) a défait en demi-finale Lauren Davis (53e) avant d’aller gagner l’événement.
On the WTA 125 Catalonia Open, No.34 Sorana Cirstea pissed off No.53 Lauren Davis within the semifinals and went on to boost the winner’s trophy.
On the Firenze Girls Open this week, Lauren Davis and No.56 Claire Liu are the highest two seeds. And on the WTA 125 Trophée Clarins in Paris, No.44 Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who very lately dismantled Fernandez in Rome, is the highest seed. No.46 Varvara Gracheva and No.44 Alycia Parks are the second and third.
And whereas we’re on the subject of Leylah, she went from Rome to the ITF W100 in Madrid this week.
It’s one thing to consider when the Challenger collection involves your space. All the time examine the participant record, because you by no means know who’ll be competing in your native event… for an inexpensive value.
Whilst you might pay between 179 and 350 Euros ($261 and $510 CAD) in Rome, in Bordeaux, for 18 Euros, one might watch Kokkinakis vs. Gasquet or Wawrinka vs. Murray.
THAT’s a deal.
Right here’s the hyperlink to all the small print on the Canadian pro tennis calendar.
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E-mail: privard@tenniscanada.com
Twitter: @paul6rivard
Comply with all our Canadians in motion here.
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