The Canadiens are off to an excellent start to the season.
In 2024, Canadian tennis fans had to wait until the final week before celebrating a first singles title on the main circuit. This year, the celebrations were not long in coming, because Félix Auger-Aliassime’s trophy is one of five to have been won by Canadians during the last week.
Here’s something to start the year off in style. Here’s what you need to know.
In case you missed it: Auger-Aliassime shines in the Australian sun
Félix Auger-Aliassime quickly ended his 2024 drought. Indeed, in his first tournament on the regular ATP calendar, the Canadian won the Adelaide International title. It was his first triumph since Basel in October 2023.
On his way to the title, he eliminated Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, then three Americans, Marcos Giron, favorite Tommy Paul and second seed Sebastian Korda. This is the sixth title of his career and his first on an outdoor hard surface.
Denis Shapovalov was also present in Adelaide. He defeated Zhizhen Zhang in two sets in the first round before losing to Giron.
Leylah Annie Fernandez took part in the women’s section in Adelaide. She successfully made it through the singles qualifying rounds, but fell in the first round of the singles and doubles main draw.
Gabriel Diallo played in Auckland (ATP 250). He lost in three rounds to Lorenzo Sonego in the first round.
Click here for more news and results from the ATP and WTA Tours.
Not to be missed: The Grand Slam tournament season has begun
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam stage of the year, has started in Melbourne.
Seven Canadians are participating in this first major tournament of 2025 and two of them have already taken on their first challenge.
Leylah Annie Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime scored their first victory at Melbourne Park, beating Yuliia Starodubtseva and Jan-Lennard Struff, respectively.
Read also: The forces present at the ATP – Sinner wants to continue his domination in Melbourne
Gabriel Diallo, Rebecca Marino and Denis Shapovalov will take the stage on Tuesday. The Diallo duel is scheduled for 11 a.m. (7 p.m. ET, Monday). Marino and Shapovalov are the fourth of the day on their respective courts.
Click here to learn more about the Canadians’ possible singles runs in Melbourne.
Three Canadians are also registered in doubles.
Fernandez is the only Canadian to take on the challenge, and will team up with Nadiia Kichenok in the women’s doubles. The two players are the 16estop seeds and will face Talia Gibson and Maya Joint, who earned a bye, in the first round. They could face favorites Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the third round.
Read also: The forces present at the WTA – Sabalenka aims for the hat-trick in Melbourne
Gabriela Dabrowski begins her season in Melbourne. She and Erin Routliffe will play together for the first time since their triumph at the WTA Finals last November. The second seeds will have as their first rivals the Americans Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk.
Beatriz Haddad Maia et Laura Siegemund (15es) could be the first seeds on their way.
On the men’s side, Vasek Pospisil is Canada’s only representative in doubles. He will team up with world third Jordan Thompson. To raise the curtain, they will face the French Grégoire Jacq and the Brazilian Orlando Luz, and could then cross swords with the 13estop seeds Sander Gille and Jan Zielinski. In addition, the powerful Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz (4es) could show up in the third round.
Under the radar: Double crown for Mboko
Auger-Aliassime wasn’t the only one to enter the winner’s circle, as the Canadians collected four trophies on the ITF circuit.
The big star was Victoria Mboko, 18, won her fourth professional singles title in Le Lamentin, Martinique, without conceding a set. She won her first three sets by 6-0. d-round opponent finally got on the board in the second set of their match.
Mboko won the semi-final 7-6(4), 6-2 against her compatriot Cadence Brace before defeating the American Clervie Ngounoue (2e) in counts of 7-5 and 6-3. The young Canadian has now collected at least one singles title for the fourth consecutive year.
She and Brace also teamed up to win the doubles title in this W35 category event. En route to the final, they eliminated three of the top four seeds, finishing with a 6-2, 7-6(2) victory over favorites Olivia Lincer of Poland and Ngounoue. This is the first professional doubles title for the two Canadians.
Katherine Sebov won her first title since her triumph in Saguenay in October 2023 at the W35 tournament in Naples, Florida. It was her fifth ITF singles title.
She first eliminated her compatriot Carson Branstine (2e ) and won a thrilling semi-final against Elizabeth Mandlik (4e) before dominating the Italian Jessica Pieri 6-2 and 6-0 in the final.
In addition, Juan Carlos Aguilar won a trophy on the ITF men’s circuit by winning the doubles title with Australian Kody Pearson. The favorites had to win two super tiebreakers along the way, then prevailed 6-3, 6-3 in the final against Darian King and Stephen Slocombe of Barbados. For Aguilar, it is the 14thetitle of his career.
Liam Draxl almost added a sixth title to the Canadians’ haul. He reached the final of the Challenger in Oeiras, Portugal, but fell to Hamad Medjedovic.
Rob Shaw also began his season in Melbourne by competing in an ITF wheelchair tennis tournament. He reached the quarterfinals of the quad singles and the doubles final with partner Heath Davidson, losing to Francisco Cayulef and Gonzalo Enrique Lazarte.
This week, four Canadians, including two members of the team that will participate in the next Davis Cup meeting in Montreal, Draxl and Alexis Galarneau, are participating in a second ATP Challenger tournament in Oeiras. Sebov, Mboko and Aguilar are also taking part in this competition, looking for a second consecutive title.
You can follow the Canadians every week by clicking here.
Tickets for the first round of Davis Cup qualifying between Canada and Hungary are now on sale. Join us 1isand February 2 at Stade IGA, in Montreal, as Team Canada begins its journey to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Davis Cup. To obtain a preferential price on tickets, click here.
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