There are seven Canadians at the Australian Open. The question is no longer about breakthroughs, but what the season’s milestones will be.
Four of those are on the women’s side, where Canada has both had its biggest successes at the Slams but where there are, at present, also more questions. Fernandez, the 20-year-old from Montreal, has slipped to 39in the WTA rankings after missing much of last season with a foot injury. Andreescu, 22, is just behind her at 42, having taken a long mental-health break from the sport last year.
On the men’s side, the 23-year-old Shapovalov, who made it to the quarter-finals in Melbourne last year and took eventual champion Rafael Nadal to five sets, has yet to have the consistent run of form that would put him among the top tier of men trying to replace the Big Three — and, indeed, trying to avoid getting beaten by the Big Two, Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who are still playing.
The 22-year-old Montrealer had a curious 2022 season, getting to the quarter-finals in Australia before losing a five-setter to Daniil Medvedev, winning his first ATP title in February, but then hitting a slide through the spring and summer. He lost in five sets to Nadal at the French Open — no small feat — but went out in the first round at Wimbledon and in the second round at the U.S. Open.
Australia feels like a big moment for Auger-Aliassime, the chance to consolidate his breakthrough, to use a tennis term. If he can’t, it’s a long wait until Wimbledon. A deep run in Australia would go some distance to showing that he’s about to assert himself as one of the best players in the world. But even if he doesn’t, there will plenty of others who might carry the Canadian flag into the Slam’s second week. You know, tennis nation and all of that.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Scott Stinson: The Slams begin, with Canadians looking to make more tennis historyThere are seven Canadians at the Australian Open. The question is no longer about breakthroughs, but what the season’s milestones will be.
Read more »
'Canadians are worried': new poll suggests cost of living crisis is bad...and getting worseCanadians are expecting a rough economic ride in 2023, according to a new nationwide Pollara survey.
Read more »
Federal tax credit for multi-generational home renovations now available to CanadiansThe multi-generational home renovation tax credit took effect Jan. 1 for expenses related to building a secondary suite for a family member who is a senior or an adult with a disability
Read more »
Rahim Mohamed: Poilievre must embrace 'compassionate conservatism' to win over CanadiansHis bleak poll numbers underscore the desperate need for Poilievre to take meaningful steps to soften his image
Read more »
Rahim Mohamed: Poilievre must embrace 'compassionate conservatism' to win over CanadiansHis bleak poll numbers underscore the desperate need for Poilievre to take meaningful steps to soften his image
Read more »
FIRST READING: Canadians love nuclear power, even though greens still hate itNew polls show that more than half of Canadians want more nuclear plants, and more than a third wouldn\u0027t mind one in their neighbourhood.
Read more »