Canadian Tennis Star Vasek Pospisil to Return to Calgary National Bank Challenger From November 6 to 13, 2022
Pospisil makes his second appearance at the popular Calgary event, having competed in 2020
CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Calgary National Bank Challenger Tournament (Challenger) Director Danny Da Costa is thrilled to announce that Canadian professional tennis player Vasek Pospisil will compete at the upcoming tournament taking place from November 6-13 at the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre.Pospisil is the third major tennis star to be confirmed for the event. He is joining 2014 US OPEN singles finalist and former World #4 Kei Nishikori of Japan and 2013 Wimbledon singles finalist and former World #12 Sabine Lisicki of Germany. Pospisil is a Grand Slam Doubles Champion, winning the 2014 Wimbledon Doubles Title with partner Jack Sock of the United States of America.
Pospisil, who has been ranked as high as Number 25 in the world in Singles and Number four in Doubles, was named Postmedia's Male Athlete of the Year for 2019 and is currently ranked #122 in the world on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. Having recently reached the Quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event in Tel Aviv, he lost a tightly contested match to Novak Djokovic. Pospisil followed his quarter-final finish in Tel Aviv with a final’s appearance at the ATP Challenger event in Mouilleron le Captif, France. He was also named to the Canadian Davis Cup Team, which recently qualified for the Davis Cup Finals running November 22-27, 2022, in Malaga, Spain.
With wins over Top 20 players Daniil Medvedev, Andy Murray, Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Richard Gasquet, he has also been in the finals of three ATP Tour events, including two ATP Tour 250 events in 2020 Sofia & Montpellier and an ATP Tour 500 event in Washington in 2014. Pospisil has also captured seven doubles titles on the ATP World Tour.
“I’m extremely excited to be coming back to Calgary for the National Bank Challenger," says Vasek Pospisil. "Danny and his team have done an incredible job bringing top tier tennis to Calgary and creating a world class event for the spectators and players. I will try to keep building on my recent momentum and end the year strong as I head into the 2023 season. It will be a great challenge as this event always attracts strong talent from around the world."
Following the second successful event in 2020 which sold over 8,600 tickets, organizers have since added a Women’s ITF Pro Circuit event for the 2022 tournament, making the Calgary National Bank Challenger the only combined Indoor Professional Event in Canada. The tournament will feature some of the best up-and-coming and established men’s and women’s professional tennis players in the world competing for ATP and WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) rankings.
“We are thrilled to have Vasek Pospisil return for the second time at Calgary National Bank Challenger,” says Danny Da Costa, Tournament Director of the Challenger. “It’s a testament to the event we are running to attract world-class players like Vasek, Nishikori and Lisicki to our event, and we hope to continue to make the Calgary National Bank Challenger a must attend event for both the players and our fans in Calgary."
In addition to being the largest indoor professional tennis event in Canada, the Calgary National Bank Challenger will feature several exciting activities, including an opportunity to participate in a doubles clinic hosted by former World Number one Doubles Player, Olympic Champion and eight-time Grand Slam Champion, Daniel Nestor. Pospisil will also host an autograph signing (date/time to be determined) at the Hekate Booth during the Challenger. A jazz concert featuring Juno-nominated Calgarian Al Muirhead, will also take place on Sunday, November 13 beginning at 11:00 a.m.
On Saturday, November 12, Tennis Canada will be presenting Patrick Thomas, volunteer and Danny Da Costa, OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre CEO, Calgary National Bank Challenger Tournament Director with the 2021 Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Awards for their contributions to the game of tennis in Alberta and Canada. OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre Tennis Director Nick Coutts will also receive Tennis Professional Association (TPA) Canadian Club Professional of the Year Award for 2021. As well, prior to the start of the finals on November 13, Ron Ghitter, OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre Board Chair, will be inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in the builder category.
As a leading tournament for Canadian tennis players, the Calgary National Bank Challenger is supported by notable sponsors including: The National Bank, Tennis Canada, Government of Alberta, Tourism Calgary, the Concorde Group, MNP, Dentons LLP, Rogers Sportsnet 960, Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, Post Media, Pattison, Glenmore Audi, Porsche Centre Calgary, Rogers Communications and many more. The event will also feature some of Canada’s top restaurants including Major Tom's, Lulu Bar, Pigeonhole, Model Milk, Ricardo’s Hideaway, Surfy Surfy and Bridgette Bar in the Rogers Hospitality Lounge.
Ahead of the tournament, the official player and line up announcement will be made at The CORE Shopping Centre (The CORE) on October 24, 2022, beginning at 11:30 am during an exciting pre-event celebration. The public are encouraged to join tournament organizers at The CORE from October 24 to November 3 as part of the CORE Shopping Centre Mall Promotion, which includes opportunities to play with tennis professionals and buy and win tickets to the highly anticipated event.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit: www.calgary.nationalbankchallenger.com.
*ABOUT THE CALGARY NATIONAL BANK CHALLENGER *
The Calgary National Bank Challenger is the only combined men's & women's indoor tennis tournament in Canada. In two years, the Calgary National Bank Challenger has quickly emerged as one of the best ATP Challenger events in the world and one of Alberta's premier sporting events. In 2022, the Challenger will host our inaugural International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women's Pro Circuit $60K Event featuring many of the best up-and-coming and established female players in the world.
*ABOUT NATIONAL BANK CHALLENGER TOURNAMENTS*
The Calgary National Bank Challenger is among several tournaments in the Challenger circuit sponsored by National Bank in Canada. Aiming to support the development of the international elite, the professional tournaments provide Canadian athletes with their first experiences on the Tours and the opportunity to earn valuable points to move up in the world rankings. Over the years, the National Bank Challenger tournaments have served as a springboard for players including Canadian stars Félix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Denis Shapovalov and Bianca Andreescu, as well as Casper Ruud, Maxime Cressy and John Isner of the US, Daniel Evans of the UK, Angelique Kerber and Sabine Lisicki of Germany and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
*OSTEN & VICTOR ALBERTA TENNIS CENTRE *
The OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre is one of Canada’s premier tennis facilities and has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best tennis facilities in North America. The community-based, state-of-the-art, family friendly tennis facility located just off one of Calgary’s main routes, MacLeod Trail, is located in the heart of Acadia (SE Calgary) and covers 71,000 square feet, over 3.19 acres. The OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre opened in the spring of 2016 to critical acclaim and is championed by local funders with the support of Tennis Canada. The $13 million-dollar, non-profit tennis centre has quickly established itself as the benchmark for facility design and operation in Canada and won the Tennis Canada Facility Excellence Award (Indoor Facility of the Year) in 2017. The tennis Centre welcomed over 150,000 people since opening its doors in 2016 and has introduced the game of tennis to thousands of Calgarians since opening. The tennis Centre has been built to international competition standards and is considered the most technologically advanced tennis Centre in Canada and is among the most technologically advanced Centres in the world. It is a highly sought-after tournament destination and hosts multiple international events each year, including the Calgary National Bank Challenger ATP event.
*Media Contact:*
Rebecca Hurl
Brookline Public Relations, Inc.
403-818-6918
rhurl@brooklinepr.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a3d4bc84-afe6-449d-8d13-95f1641a2c69