2023-08-04 22:03:27
The eyes of Montreal fans will be on Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez next week in Montreal, as the two Canadian players will have the opportunity to build on the momentum of good runs they have signed recently, after more difficult times.
• Read also: National Bank Open: a good challenge for Eugenie Bouchard
• Read also: National Bank Open in Toronto: discover the potential opponents of Félix Auger-Aliassime and the other Canadians until the final
• Read also: Leylah Fernandez falls in front of the fourth racket
And they lucked out on Friday, when the main draw of the National Bank Open was unveiled. Andreescu, Fernandez and also their compatriot Rebecca Marino will all face qualifiers in the first round.
“Luck” is a big word, however, because the qualifying table is very high, especially with the presence of the Italian Camila Giorgi, 51st in the world, who took top honors in the metropolis two years ago.
In fact, several players who will take part in the qualifying tournament, which begins on Saturday, are ranked higher than Leylah and Marino, since all the representatives of the maple leaf who have obtained their place in the main draw have had it by an invitation. organizers.
One of their opponents could also be a certain Eugenie Bouchard, who will make her comeback in Montreal after five years of absence through the “qualifiers”.
But “Genie” will have a lot to do in her first match, Saturday afternoon, since she will face the American Danielle Collins… 49th in the world.
Bianca Andreescu
5 sun 7 sun | 23 ans | Mississauga, Ontario
› Record in 2023: 15 wins | 14 losses
› Best result in Canada: Champion in 2019
WTA 44th rank
Statistics in 2023
71 as
65.4% 1st serves won
86 double faults
The surprise champion in Toronto four years ago comes before her supporters strong from a third round at Wimbledon. Where, in her first two rounds, and even against sixth-seed Ons Jabeur, she showed the tenacity that characterized her in her incredible 2019 season.
“Bibi” could not continue his momentum on his return to hard court this week in Washington. She got three match points against Marta Kostyuk, but it was the Ukrainian who finally won the tiebreaker of the final set.
If Andreescu sometimes disappoints with her inconsistency or her missed moments, one thing remains certain in the case of the Canadian: she likes to perform in front of large crowds dedicated to her cause and tends to raise her level of play when such an opportunity arises. to her.
And that’s certainly what awaits her on Tuesday, when she plays her first game in Montreal.
His potential route to the final:
1st round: Qualified
2e tour : P. Kvitova (TCH) – 7e favorite
Round of 16: B. Bencic (SUI) – 12th favorite
Quarter-finals: A. Sabalenka (BLR) – 2nd favorite
Semi-final : E. Rybakina (KAZ) – 3rd favorite
Finale: I. Swiatek (POL) – favorite
Leylah Fernandez
5 ft 6 in | 20 years | Montreal, Quebec
› Record in 2023: 17 wins | 15 losses
› Best result in Canada: 2nd round in 2022
88th rank from the WTA
Statistics in 2023
71 as
61.0% 1st serves won
118 double faults
She’s not easy on herself, Leylah, and the Quebecer didn’t like falling so quickly in the world rankings, she who was in 13th place a year ago. But Fernandez is doing better, as evidenced by her fine run in Washington, where she notably pulled out of qualifying before losing in the second round to the fourth seed, the Greek Maria Sakkari.
Like Andreescu, the left-hander loves big crowds. Montreal therefore represents the perfect opportunity for her to continue on this momentum, to reconnect one day with a ranking closer to her ambitions.
His potential route to the final:
1st round: Qualified
2e tour: B. Haddad Maia (BRÉ) – 11e favourite
Round of 16: M. Sakkari (GRE) – 8th favorite
Quarter final : I Swiatek (POL) – favorite
Semi-final: J. Pegula (É-U) – 4th favourite
Finale: A. Sabalenka (BLR) – 2e favourite
Rebecca Marino
6 pi 0 po | 32 ans | Toronto, Ontario
› Record in 2023: 16 wins | 18 losses
› Best result in Canada: Round of 16 in 2021
90th rank from the WTA
Statistics in 2023
139 as
58.7% 1st serves won
78 double faults
Marino has had a few good pushes this season, including a quarter-final on the grass of Birmingham before Wimbledon, as well as second-rounders at the WTA 1000 tournaments in Miami and Madrid, of the same caliber as the one in Montreal.
But it was not enough to maintain her ranking at the start of the year, when she was around 60th place.
In her last appearance in Montreal, two years ago, the friendly athlete with the powerful serve had reached the third round against all odds, she who was finding her touch after several years spent away from the circuit.
His potential route to the final:
1st round: Qualified
2e tour : C. Gauff (É-U) – 6e favorite
Ronde des 16 : M. Vondrousova (TCH) – 9th favorite
Quarter Finale: J. Pegula (É-U) – 4e favorite
Demi-finals: I. Swiatek (POL) – favorite
Finale: A. Sabalenka (BLR) – 2e favourite
Eugenie Bouchard
5 ft 10 in | 29 years old | Montreal, Quebec
› Record in 2023: 9 wins | 8 losses
› Best result in Canada: Round of 16 in 2016
223e rang de la WTA
Statistics in 2023
7 as
65.6% 1st serves won
7 double faults
No, “Genie” is not guaranteed a place in the big picture in Montreal. She will have to go through the qualifications for the first time since … 2010, when she was 16 and the greatest hopes were allowed for the Quebecer. But even if she reached the fifth rank in the world and played a final at Wimbledon during her career marked by ups, but also many downs, Bouchard chose to go through this stage of the competition. This is his first appearance in Montreal in five years. A decision, underlined the director of the tournament Valérie Tétreault in our pages, Thursday, which testifies to the love that Eugenie has for tennis, despite the criticisms of which she has often been the target.
His potential route in qualifying
1st round: Danielle Collins (USA) – 49th in the world
2e tour : Yue Yuan (CHI) – 116e mondiale
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