A trio of Canadians—Leylah Annie Fernandez, Rebecca Marino and Carol Zhao—join former world No. 1 Simona Halep as Montreal wild-card recipients, Tennis Canada announced today.
The 2021 National Bank Open presented by Rogers will be staged at IGA Stadium in Montréal from August 7 to 15th.
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Fernandez, whose wild card had been confirmed a few weeks ago, will be competing in her third edition of the Canadian event and second in Montréal. In 2019, at only 16 years old, she fell in the first round to Marie Bouzková. Since then, the Quebecer has built on her experience and risen to World No.70. In March, she won her very first WTA title in Monterrey, Mexico. She arrives in Montréal with tremendous focus, set to win her first match in the main draw of the National Bank Open.
Marino will be at the National Bank Cup for the sixth time. Currently No.219, she was just crowned champion at the ITF W25 event in Evansville, Indiana. She will be in the main draw for the second time. In 2011, she suffered a heartbreaking loss to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 7-6(6), 6-4.
World No. 299 Zhao is gearing up for her tenth appearance at the National Bank Open and fourth in the main draw. So far this season, she has fought her way into two ITF W25 finals: Potchefstroom (South Africa) and Salinas (Ecuador). Next week, she will fight to enter the second round of the Canadian event for the first time.
Two-time National Bank Open champion Simona Halep of Romania, who won the tournaments in Montréal in 2016 and 2018, receives a Gold Wild card from the WTA reserved for former World No.1 players who were ranked in the Top 20 in the previous season or who have won a Grand Slam, WTA Finals or WTA 1000 title in their careers.
There is one final wild card still to be handed out. Tennis Canada says the name of the recipient will be announced soon.
Photo credit: Abierto GNP Seguros