There isn’t any easing again in relating to skilled tennis.
The primary week of the 2023 season occurred final week and already all of Canada’s stars have made their returns to the court docket, with various levels of success. And time to search out their kind forward of the season’s first main is already working out.
For some, play has already begun in Melbourne.
Right here’s what you might want to know.
In Case You Missed It: Fernandez leads opening week cost
With a full slate of Canadians competing within the opening week of the season, it was a reasonably quiet week results-wise.
Leylah Annie Fernandez had one of the best exhibiting, reaching her first doubles remaining on the WTA Tour alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands on the WTA 250 Auckland Open. They have been crushed within the third-set tremendous tiebreak by Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi.
Ysaline Bonaventure was a thorn within the aspect of the Canadians in Auckland, beating Rebecca Marino within the second spherical and Fernandez within the singles quarter-finals.
The most important occasion of the week was in Adelaide, which boasted a monster draw for a WTA 500 occasion.
Bianca Andreescu was the lone Canadian within the girls’s draw however was crushed by world No. 9 Veronika Kudermetova within the second spherical.
Regardless of a discipline that includes 4 Prime 10 gamers, it was 18-year-old Linda Noskova of Czechia who stole the present in Adelaide, beating two of them, No. 8 Daria Kasatkina and No. 2 Ons Jabeur, whereas additionally including a win over two-time main champion Victoria Azarenka on her option to her first WTA Tour remaining.
Noskova ran out of gasoline within the title match towards her third Prime 10 opponent of the week, falling to No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka in straight units.
On the lads’s aspect in Adelaide, Denis Shapovalov kicked off his yr with a stable quarter-final exhibiting. He defeated Rinky Hijikata and Roman Safiullin earlier than falling prime seed Novak Djokovic in two tight units.
Djokovic went on to say the trophy, saving a championship level within the remaining earlier than defeating Sebastian Korda to win his 92nd profession title, which tied him with rival Rafael Nadal for fourth most by a person within the Open Period.
Of the 5 Canadians enjoying in the principle attracts in week one of many 2023 season, solely Félix Auger-Aliassime was unable to attain a victory, dropping his opening match in Adelaide to Alexei Popyrin, who went on to succeed in the quarter-finals.
The inaugural United Cup was received final week by the US, who defeated Italy 4-0 within the remaining. The Individuals dominated the match, dropping simply two whole matches in the complete occasion.
Each their semifinal win over Poland and finals win over Italy have been shutouts. That included Jessica Pegula scoring her first victory over world No. 1 Iga Świątek within the USA’s win over the Poles.
Pegula, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys all scored singles victories within the remaining. Italy had defeated Greece 4-1, with Stefanos Tsitsipas beating Matteo Berrettini for the lone Greek level whereas Martina Trevisan upset Maria Sakkari, so as to attain the title match.
On the ATP 250 occasion in Pune, India, Tallon Griekspoor received his first profession title with a comeback win over Benjamin Bonzi within the remaining.
Final Week’s Outcomes
What to Watch: Remaining Method In the direction of Melbourne
Just one week stays till the primary Grand Slam on the 2023 calendar.
For some, together with a gaggle of Canadians, play is already underway at Melbourne Park as qualifying for the Australian Open started on Monday down below.
Carol Zhao was the lone Canadian to advance on the primary day, whereas each Eugenie Bouchard and Gabriel Diallo have been knocked out. Alexis Galarneau and Katherine Sebov play their first qualifying match on Tuesday in Melbourne. Sebov will face off with second seed and final week’s breakout star Linda Noskova.
There are three rounds of qualifying for the Australian Open, with 16 spots up for grabs in each the lads’s and girls’s attracts.
Solely two Canadians have been competing on the principle excursions this week, however each misplaced their opening matches.
Gabriela Dabrowski made her 2023 debut in Adelaide with accomplice Giuliana Olmos, however misplaced to Sam Stosur and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. Rebecca Marino was competing on the Hobart Worldwide however misplaced to fifth seed Anhelina Kalinina.
Marie Bouzkova is the highest seed in Hobart, adopted by Elise Mertens.
The sector at Adelaide 2, additionally a WTA 500, will not be as robust because the earlier week after the highest three seeds all pulled out, together with WTA No. 1 Iga Świątek.
Caroline Garcia is the highest seed and is joined by Daria Kasatkina, Belinda Bencic, Veronika Kudermetova and 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins.
On the lads’s aspect, Adelaide is only a 250 occasion and Andrey Rublev is the highest seed. The ATP occasion in Auckland takes place this week with Casper Ruud main the sector that additionally options Cameron Norrie.
Underneath the Radar:
Simply the like the principle excursions, the ITF circuit received underway final week with Canada’s Marina Stakusic reaching the quarter-finals of an occasion in Malibu earlier than withdrawing.
Steven Diez and Kelsey Stevenson will get their seasons underway this week on the ATP Challenger Tour, whereas a gaggle of Canadian girls are competing at ITF occasions.
You may comply with the Canadians in motion each week right here.
