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Davis Cup: Galarneau as curtain

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4 years ago

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Davis Cup: Galarneau as curtain

It is not because someone is celebrating their birthday away from home and their loved ones will necessarily be deprived of a beautiful gift. Talk to Quebec tennis player Alexis Galarneau.

On Wednesday, the young man from Laval celebrated his 23rd birthday in The Hague, the Netherlands, along with Brayden Schnur, Steven Diez, Peter Polansky and Frank Dancevic, leader of the Canadian Davis Cup team, among others.

On the spot, Dansevic offered her an unexpected gift, without wrapping paper or ribbon. It came at the end of a sentence like “Alexis, you will play the first Davis Cup match on Friday”.

From 332nd place in the ATP world rankings, Galarneau will try to help Canada win the qualifying match against the Netherlands and secure a ticket to the Davis Cup Final, which will take place in the autumn.

Galarneau will face Botic van de Zandschulp, the best Dutch player due to his 50th place in the world rankings, on Friday afternoon (morning in Quebec).

“We had a ‘meeting’ between the players and Frank. I did not even know it was the “line-up”. “I got there unexpectedly,” Galarneau told the Canadian Press on Thursday.

“Finally Frank got straight to the point and said, ‘For the first day, I’m going to go with Steven to single number 1, then I’m going to go with Alexis to single number two.’ »

Galarneau acknowledges this: he was immediately shocked to hear the decision. Once the shock was over, he had to share his happiness.

“I did not expect to play. My teammates are very good players with experience. I had no expectations. I just wanted to enjoy my week, support my teammates and gain more experience. “But being able to play there changes my mindset a bit and I’m very excited about this ‘challenge,'” admitted Galarneau, who was quick to share the good news with his parents, two siblings and his sister. . .

“They are proud of me and I am happy that I can make them proud. “That’s why I play tennis,” he said.

Galarneau’s teammates were just as happy for him.

“After all, after that, we went to dinner. Alain Beaupré, the ‘manager’ of the team, organized a big surprise for me with a beautiful cake that we all ate together. It was a wonderful evening that ended well. I will remember it for a long time. »

According to the preliminary program announced on Thursday, Galarneau will play another match with Tallon Griekspoor (60th) on Saturday, while Diez is going to cross swords with van de Zandschulp on the same day.

As for Snur and Polanski, their names are mentioned for the doubles match with Wesley Kulhoff and Matve Middelcoop, which is scheduled for Saturday.

The games will be played on dirt, a surface that Galarneau says he likes.

inspirational moment

Galarneau, who wore the colors of North Carolina State University for five years, from 2016 to 2021, will experience the Davis Cup for the first time in his career as a player.

In September 2012, Galarneau experienced this tournament in a different context, leaving him with lasting memories.

On this occasion, at the National Bank Stadium at the Uniprix Stadium, Canada played against South Africa to remain in the Davis Cup World Group.

Canada won the match 4-1 with single wins twice by Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil and Dancevic.

“I was there with Félix (Auger-Aliassime) and Nicaise (Muamba). We were probably 13 or 14 years old. We sat a little behind the Canadian bench, we felt like we were part of the team and we were from the National Center (of Tennis Canada). “For me, it was a defining moment,” admits Galarneau.

“It was the event, after the Rogers Cup, that had the biggest impact on my tennis, on my ambitions to become a professional player. And playing as a team, for me, is special, because I’m someone who likes to play as a team. And representing my country means playing for more than yourself. I like that in sports. “playing for more than yourself,” he added.

Spain without Nadal, Germany with Zverev

Spain without Rafael Nadal and Germany with the surprise presence of Alexander Zverev will also try to advance to the next phase.

For their play-off match, the Spaniards welcome Romania to Marbella, while the Germans travel to Brazil, to Rio de Janeiro.

“We are delighted to have Alexander in the game,” said Germany captain Michael Kohlmann.

Zverev, No. 3 in the world and now 24, said he would not participate in the Davis Cup with his new form introduced in 2019. That year, he played in the qualifying match he won against Hungary, but had not traveled to Madrid. for the finals and had abandoned the 2021 edition after the event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID.

His last appearance in court, in February in Acapulco, gave rise to behavior that he later considered “unacceptable”.

At the end of a double match he lost in the super tiebreak, he repeatedly hit the referee’s chair with his racket, which earned him the exclusion from his simple and $ 40,000 tournament.

“Now we want to help him get through this difficult phase,” he said.

For his part, Nadal is on the American continent where he participates in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 that starts on March 10.

At the end of this qualifying round, twelve nations will join Croatia (2021 runners-up), Serbia and Great Britain (guests) for the group stage of the final tournament (September 14-18). The defense of the champion Russia has been excluded until recently by the International Federation (ITF) in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.

The schedule of the games for the qualifying round of Davis Cup 2022 that will take place on Friday and Saturday:

In Pau

France – Ecuador

In Marbella

Spain – Romania

At Espoo

Finland – Belgium

In Reno

United States – Colombia

In The Hague

Netherlands – Canada

In Rio de Janeiro

Brazil – Germany

In Bratislava

Slovakia – Italy

In Sydney

Australia – Hungary

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Tennis

Looking ahead to 2025 Our best tennis photos

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21 hours ago

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December 26, 2025

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Looking ahead to 2025 Our best tennis photos

Check out some of the best tennis shots our photographers have taken over the past year

PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, THE PRESS

American Coco Gauff returns a serve from Russian Veronika Kudermetova during their third round match on center court at the IGA stadium.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Victoria Mboko at work against Elena Rybakina in the semi-final at the National Bank Open


PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Eugenie Bouchard on the backhand during her second round match at the National Bank Open


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Marta Kostyuk screams during her match against Daria Kasatkina at the National Bank Open.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Mirra Andreeva in action against McCartney Kessler at the National Bank Open


PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Naomi Osaka watches the ball in the first round of the National Bank Open against Ariana Arseneault.


PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Bianca Andreescu suffered an ankle injury against Barbora Krejčíková at the National Bank Open.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Liudmila Samsonova displays her muscles during her duel against Naomi Osaka at the National Bank Open.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

A doubles match pitting Italians Jasmine Paolini (right) and Sara Errani against Canadians Bianca Jolie Fernandez (left) and Leylah Annie Fernandez at the National Bank Open


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Daria Kasatkina keeps her eyes on the ball against Marta Kostyuk in the third round at the National Bank Open.


PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Victoria Mboko celebrates on court her victory against Naomi Osaka in the final of the National Bank Open.

Source: lapresse

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The famous Swiss, who has three Grand Slam awards, will retire in 2026

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1 day ago

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December 26, 2025

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The famous Swiss, who has three Grand Slam awards, will retire in 2026

40-year-old Swiss tennis player Stan Wawrinka He announced that he will retire in 2026.

“Every book must have an ending. It is time to write the last chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. In 2026, I will spend my last season on tour.”

I still want to challenge myself and complete this journey in the best possible way. I still have dreams about this sport. I enjoyed everything tennis gave me, especially the emotions I felt playing for you.

I look forward to meeting you again anywhere in the world. Last move,” Wawrinka wrote on social networks.

Stan has three Grand Slam trophies – Australian Open 2014, Roland Garros 2015 and US Open 2016. He also played in the Russian Federation final in 2017, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.

Wawrinka is currently ranked 157th in the ATP rankings. His personal best is third place.

During his career, Stan won 16 singles trophies and three doubles trophies at ATP level. At the 2008 Olympics, Wawrinka won the gold medal in the doubles tournament with Roger Federer. Stan won the Davis Cup with the Swiss team in 2014.

Wawrinka will start his farewell season with the national team in the United Cup (January 2-11).

Source: Sport UA

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Tennis

Led by Mboko and Auger-Aliassime, Canada has accumulated successes in 2025

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2 days ago

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December 25, 2025

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Led by Mboko and Auger-Aliassime, Canada has accumulated successes in 2025

(Montreal) The second half of 2025 could prove to be a pivotal moment in the history of tennis in the country. At the same time, it is the sequence of promising Canadian performances on the courts – hard surface, clay, grass, whatever – over the last 15 years.

The saying “little train goes a long way” applies quite well to Tennis Canada. And with six representatives in the top 50 at the end of 2025 – including Gabriela Dabrowski, 10e in doubles – which do not seem about to plateau, this little train could pick up speed in 2026.

The representatives of the Unifolié completed 2025 with 15 titles on the two major professional circuits, nine among the ladies, six among the men. Out of the lot, a triumph stands out.

“This year, it’s certain that the strongest moment, for me, was here, with Vicky Mboko’s victory,” says Valérie Tétreault, director of the National Bank Open, in an interview with La Presse Canadienne in her office on 2e floor at the IGA Stadium.

However, there were many more highlights on the Canadian tennis scene in 2025.

Félix Auger-Aliassime did more than his share with three titles, two additional finals, a semi-final appearance at the US Open and progression to fifth in the ATP rankings, a personal high.

PHOTO ANTONIO CALANNI, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Had it not been for Mboko’s exploit in Montreal and his meteoric rise to the 333e place, in January, until the 18the level of the world rankings, Auger-Aliassime’s performances would undoubtedly have been the highlight of the year at Tennis Canada.

To this, Mboko added a title to his record, in Hong Kong, in November. Leylah Annie Fernandez (22)e) won two tournaments, including one in the 500 category. Denis Shapovalov (23e) imitated her.

Exactly a year ago, Gabriel Diallo occupied 87e step; it will start 2026 on the 41e rank, helped by a first career title, in June, on grass.


PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Gabriel Diallo

Tétreault savors this list because, among other things, of the range of names it brings together.

“In other years, we had a player who performed well, and often, it was perhaps a little more difficult for the others. There, we really had the impression that at a given moment, they were all taking turns,” notes Tétreault.

“We had Denis who won [à Los Cabos, le 19 juillet]. Afterwards, it’s Leylah who wins in Washington [le 27 juillet]. We have Vicky winning here [le 7 août] and Felix, [qui excelle] straight after at the US Open. They were different players who were performing at the highest level,” she emphasizes.

To this list, we can add Dabrowski’s doubles titles in Cincinnati, a tournament of the caliber of Montreal, then at the United States Open three weeks later.

“To see this for Canadian tennis, I think that’s what makes me the most proud. I think we don’t realize how new it was not so long ago when Milos Raonic was starting to win ATP 250 titles,” she notes.

When Raonic defeated Fernando Verdasco on February 13, 2011 in the final of the San Jose tournament for the first of his eight career titles, it was the first time a Canadian had triumphed at an ATP singles tournament since Greg Rusedski in April 1995.

In 2014, Eugenie Bouchard’s title in Germany was only the second by a Canadian at a singles tournament in 26 years.

The time of such shortages seems to be over.

Since 2019, in singles alone, Canadian athletes have amassed around twenty titles. Auger-Aliassime has eight, in addition to 12 other appearances in tournament finals.

Despite all her pride, Tétreault is not necessarily surprised. She sees the emergence of players who had already shown great skills at the junior level. She also sees a dynamic there which is similar to a form of emulation.

“Apart from, perhaps, Gabriel Diallo, who we saw less coming, the others, already at a young age, had pretty much all been identified as hopes, not only of Canadian tennis, but hopes of international tennis. I think it was just a matter of time before they could hatch,” emphasizes Tétreault.

“But then, I think that there is still something in there like a kind of training phenomenon, in the sense that seeing a Canadian player experience success, it motivates the others. Then, we suddenly have the impression of being part of a movement,” she says.

Mboko’s unexpected triumph, moreover, was the exclamation point to another successful edition in Montreal, in a context where, for the first time, the main draw extended over 12 days and brought together 96 players in singles.

And what’s more, Mother Nature greatly collaborated.

At the end of the tournament, the organizers welcomed 287,329 spectators, a record, of course, for the women’s event in Montreal.

“As much as there were a lot of unknowns going into this year’s tournament, more than usual, I think we can say mission accomplished because we saw a format that worked well,” said Tétreault.

“My biggest concern was more about the reception of the players, knowing that they were roughly double what we were used to welcoming,” adds Tétreault.

“We wanted to make sure we had the necessary space. The way we reconfigured it, and with the results of the player survey and the feedback we received from the WTA, I think it demonstrated that we had done what we needed to do to be ready for this. »

In addition to revealing Mboko, the National Bank Open offered Eugenie Bouchard the chance to play on the court of her childhood by offering her a pass to the main draw.


PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES

Eugenie Bouchard

Bouchard thanked the organization by delivering two solid performances, even causing a lot of trouble for the Swiss Belinda Bencic, a quality player, in what was the Montrealer’s swan song in professional tennis.

Source: lapresse

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