Vasek Pospisil Reflects on Fitting Farewell to Tennis in Toronto

By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025
Photo credit: Hameltion/Wikimedia Commons

Parting can be painful.

Vasek Pospisil is at peace with a fitting farewell to his pro career before home fans in Toronto.

Earlier, this month, Pospisil announced he would conclude his competitive career at the National Bank Open in Toronto. Meeting the media today, Pospisil said it’s the “right time” to close the curtain on his career.

“Yeah, I feel good. I feel at peace with the decision,” Pospisil said. “I’m really excited to go on court one last time. I feel very fortunate to be able to do so in front of my friends and family. So it’s a very fitting place to end the career, and like I said, it’s definitely the right time for me to
go.”

Riding a strong serve, reliable volley and forcing two-handed backhand, Pospisil reached a career-high ranking of No. 25 in 2014 and a high of No. 4 in doubles, advanced to the 2015 Wimbledon singles quarterfinals and partnered buddy Jack Sock to toppled the Bryan brothers to capture the 2014 Wimbledon doubles championship with a five-set thrilling win over defending champions Bryan brothers. Pospisil also represented Canada in two Olympic Games and was a member of Canada’s historic 2022 Davis Cup championship squad.

“Wimbledon doubles and Davis Cup, for sure, top 2 [career highlights],” Pospisil said. “Third one, I would say my breakthrough event in Montreal, the Masters. That was just such a crazy, emotional week for me.

“It was really, like I said, it was my breakthrough, it was my first real big result on the big stage. When you do something for the first time like that it sticks with you a little bit longer, and there are more emotions that are involved in a moment like that. So, yeah, that week for sure I’ll take and put in the top 3.”

Eighteen years of professional tennis. Looking forward to playing in front of you one last time in Toronto 😌 pic.twitter.com/f1cmVY5p9b

— Vasek Pospisil (@VasekPospisil) July 21, 2025

The 35-year-old Canadian, who grew up looking up to Canadian doubles standout Daniel Nestor, was part of a Canadian resurgence that included former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic. The pair paved the path for Canadian stars to follow, including Denis Shapovalov, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriel Diallo.

On the Canadian women’s side, Genie Bouchard, who will retire after her farewell appearance in Montreal this week, reached the Wimbledon final. Bianca Andreescu defeated Serena Williams to win the 2019 US Open and Leylah Fernandez navigated one of the most demanding draws in US Open history reaching the 2021 Flushing Meadows final falling to Emma Raducanu.

Pospisil said he’s pleased with the state of Canadian tennis now and sees his nation as a potential power for the next decade.

“Tennis in Canada has changed a lot. Growing up you always have your role
models,” Pospisil said. “I mean, Daniel Nestor was my Canadian role model growing up. We didn’t really have too many players at the top of the singles game. Obviously that’s changed quite a bit the last 15 years, which is amazing.

“I mean, we’re a winter-sport nation, at least historically, and that’s changing in some ways, or at least I think we’re in a bit of a golden era of tennis in Canada. And we can’t take it for granted either because things can change. But Tennis Canada is doing an amazing job, and we have a lot of young talent on the tour right now and coming up, so I think for the next 10 years the sport is in great hands
here in Canada.”

Pospisil and Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic founded the Professional Tennis Players Association in an effort to give players a greater voice in pro tennis.

The man who helped grow Canadian tennis and won ATP Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2020 after back surgery sidelined him for six months, said he’d like to be remembered as a player who always gave maximum effort and was authentic on and off court.

“I want to be remembered as a good person, as someone that always was honest and stood up for what
he believed in, competed hard, did my best every time I stepped on the court, be it in practice or in match play,” Pospisil said. “Yeah, I think that that would be quite the legacy in itself.
I feel like I’ve always been true to myself. I wear my heart on my sleeve, you kind of know what I think and what I don’t think if you’re around me.

“I think that it’s better to be that way than not. I think, yeah, just being genuine, being
who you are, and hopefully that I’m remembered that way.”