The National Bank Open, formerly Rogers Cup

BRISEBOIS: BIANCA TIRED OF RETIRING

August 14, 2021

If anyone has the videos of the 2019 National Bank Open and US Open when Bianca was crowned champion, please send them to her. She needs them.

On Thursday, after two rain delays and two medical timeouts for a foot injury, Bianca was dethroned in the third round of the Canadian tournament. 

Since the final in Miami last winter, she hasn’t been able to string three wins together.

But let’s not revisit the two-and-a-half-hour match that went to the World No.22 Ons Jabeur, who dominated the third set and won eight of last nine games (6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1).  

“I’m really disappointed but, at the same time, Ons played so well. But my foot situation didn’t help,” said Bianca in her post-match interview.

Still, she played through the pain in front of 4,000 fans, including many, many members of Montréal’s Tunisian community and her new coach Sven Groeneveld, who jotted down notes from the first to the final serve.

“Of course I could have, but I’m tired of retiring,” affirmed Bianca, who bowed out twice this season, in Strasburg and Miami. 

“Something always has to happen, I don’t understand. Let’s hope it won’t impact my next tournament,” she said.

Indeed, let’s hope not, since the World No.8 needs to play a lot more matches and play well with 2,900 points to defend before the US Open. 

OSAKA’s ranking in danger 

The Sabalenka—Pliskova semi will be a repeat of the Wimbledon semi last month, which Pliskova won in three sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

WIMBLEDON, QC

The Sabalenka—Pliskova semi will be a repeat of the Wimbledon semi last month, which Pliskova won in three sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

the richest of them all

Photo : Pascal Ratthé / Tennis Canada

Jessica Pegula embodies the idea of playing for fun.

Her billionaire parents are very invested in sports. Kim and Terry Pegula own both the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills.

When Jessica played in the doubles draw of the Saguenay National Bank Challenger, she flew private to the tournament.

L’expression « jouer pour le plaisir » prend tout son sens avec Jessica Pegula.  

over 40

As in, degrees Celsius. That’s how hot it got on the courts.

same sport, different treatment

Back to money talk. Russian ace Daria Kasatkina isn’t happy that the tournament in Cincinnati increased the prize money for men but not for women.

did MARINO get a coach fired?

Rebecca Marino’s surprise win over World No.31 Paula Badosa made a lot of waves. After all was said and done, the Spaniard decided to fire her coach.

TENNIS-study program for dabrowski

Photo : Ron Turenne / NBAE via Getty Images

What do players do when they can only go from the hotel to the stadium and back? Gabriela Dabrowski followed online university courses in psychology that she completed before the Tokyo Games.  

“That was how I maximized my time in the bubble because I like being productive,” she explained to Le Droit newspaper.

She and her partner Luisa Stefani posted a big win when they ousted Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens to reach the semifinals in the doubles draw.

scheduling changes

  The weekend match schedule kicks in today. The semis will be broadcast on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The final is on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. 

Tags
STAY UP TO DATE
ON OUR LATEST NEWS