Canada has five players in the top 50 junior world. “I think it’s the first time,” reflects Sylvain Bruneau, head national coach of the women’s program.

In 2012, Eugenie Bouchard, Françoise Abanda and Carol Zhao all three found themselves in the summits. But five in the top 50, it seems to be unheard of in the country. At least since 2004, the most distant year archived on the website of the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Last August, Annabelle Xu, Victoria Mboko, Kayla Cross and Mia Kupres – the four prospects who train permanently at the Jarry Park National Tennis Center – ranged between 61^and and the 106^and rung. Currently, Mboko, 15, occupies the 11^and rank – only one of the top 10 is younger than her – Cross, 15^andQuebecer Xu, on the 30^andand Kupres, 41^and. An ascent for the less rapid in just a few months.

“All hopes are allowed for the four girls. In this group, I would be very, very disappointed if there were not a few who took the path, for example, of Leylah [Fernandez] admits Bruneau, recalling the importance of the role models represented by established Canadian women on the professional circuit.

Marina Stakusic, 40^andcompletes the Canadian female quintet in the top 50 junior. On the boys side, the only Canadian junior member of the top 100 is Quebecer Jaden Weekes, 43^and.

The ranking is not proof of everything in the juniors, that said. It must be put into perspective, in particular, because of the tournament choices determined by the coaching staff.

“You can concentrate in the juniors, it’s not necessarily bad, and really raise your ranking very high”, indicates the ex-coach by Bianca Andreescu.

But sometimes, we decide instead to turn to professional tournaments before getting there. A tangent that Bruneau and his group are currently taking with their players.

“We move on,” he sums up.

Turn to the pros

For the rest of the year, in juniors, Victoria Mboko, Kayla Cross, Annabelle Xu – whose younger sister Naomi is 94^and world junior – and Mia Kupres will mainly focus on unmissable events, including the Grand Slam tournaments.

The four players – two in Turkey, two in Tunisia – will therefore soon be playing a few ITF 15K tournaments, which are called entrythe lowest professional level, but which awards WTA points.

“To gain experience and enter the rankings. I think they have reached this stage,” analyzed Sylvain Bruneau.

They have already touched somewhat on this level, but the coaching staff intends to increase to 60, 70% of professional tournaments for their elite quartet.

After Turkey and Tunisia, the players will enjoy a short break before the central segment, which kicks off at Roland-Garros.

Then there will be the Omnium Banque Nationale de Montréal, at the beginning of August, followed shortly after by the National Bank Championships in Granby, which remains a Challenger for men, but which has just acquired the status of a 250 category tournament on the WTA circuit. . A major leap.

As he always does for the Montreal event, it is possible that Bruneau will organize a prequalification for Granby, “to involve more players,” he explains.

At the moment, the four youngsters are in an intensive four-week period of training, having returned from Brazil last week.

Annabelle Xu notably lost there in Criciúma in the final of a category A clay court tournament, the toughest among juniors. The previous week, in Porto Alegre, in category 1, Victoria Mboko had defeated her compatriot and friend Mia Kupres in the final.

In terms of interpersonal relationships, it’s not always easy in women’s tennis, recognizes Sylvain Bruneau. But, with these four young people, we are really talking about a united group, he says.

“I’m very proud of that. They are four super good friends who push each other. »

In short

News from Eugenie Bouchard

Eugenie Bouchard, who has not played for a year, operated on a shoulder, is close to a return to the game. Last weekend, the Quebecer, who tumbled to 1461^and world rank due to long inactivity, faced American Sofia Kenin – 4^and world two years ago, now 130^and – during an exhibition match. Bouchard easily won 6-1 in this one-set duel. “It doesn’t mean anything, but she will soon resume official competition,” said Sylvain Bruneau, head national coach of the women’s program. On Thursday, Eugenie Bouchard trained with the young hopefuls of the National Tennis Center at Jarry Park. Bruneau had already spent time in the field with her during the holiday season.

Bodes well for Fernandez, says Bruneau

It is common in professional sports for the year following the big outbreak to be more difficult. “You do your breakthroughbreakthrough, then there are expectations, summarizes Sylvain Bruneau. When they played Leylah last year, most of the girls probably felt like they had to win. Now there’s less pressure when you face him. In this sense, Leylah Fernandez’s victory in Monterrey last weekend, a title she also won in 2021, is good news, according to him. “It’s very positive and indicative of his state of mind,” he said. The Quebecer currently occupies the 21^and global level.