Canada's Fernandez, Andreescu and Marino exit National Bank Open in Montreal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Rogers serves up embarrassing double fault on Sportsnet's National Bank Open coverage
Sportsnet is pulling in the ATP world feed to air on its platforms, a bare-bones production that is in stark contrast to what the network showed in the past. Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Felix Auger-Aliassime is aced by Fabian Marozsan of Hungary during their match at the National Bank Open in Toronto. The Canadian Press Remember when tennis was treated as a big thing in Canada, especially on television? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Remember when the annual pro tournament here was known as the Rogers Cup and Rogers Sportsnet treated it like it was something special with full-on, extensive coverage? Well those days appear long gone, at least for early round coverage of the latest rendition of the National Bank Open, being played this week and next in Montreal in Toronto. In what would seem to be a puzzling move to cut costs by Rogers, viewers are being short-changed to the point of being embarrassing. For the first week of action, anyway, Sportsnet is pulling in the ATP world feed to air on its platforms, a bare-bones production that is in stark contrast to what the network showed in the past and pays minimal attention to the stories that matter most to viewers here. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The regular coverage returns next week, but rather late to the party. The result has tennis fans outraged and those following the Canadian players on both the men's and women's tour miffed at the indifference from Rogers, which still remains a presenting sponsor. A Sportsnet spokesman says the change in coverage is 'adjusting to the tournament's expanded format' given the simultaneous men's and women's events take place over two weeks. In the early going, what will viewers notice the most? If they care about Canadian tennis, plenty. It was never more evident than on Wednesday night when the bland and rambling ATP feed completely ignored one of the matches of great interest to viewers who have long enjoyed coverage of the annual Canadian professional stop. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. If you were hoping to see popular Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in action against Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, you had another thing coming. The top-ranked Canadian in the event, at No. 28 in the world, may have been on centre court in the prime time slot, but he was nowhere to be found on Sportsnet. Instead, the network was showing Arthus Fils and Pablo Carreno Busta, a match we can confidently predict would have had zero interest from Canadian fans unless either player has relatives here. The only justification — such as it is — would be that Fils was the No. 15 seed, but tucked away on a back court. It was action definitely not made for prime time nor made for the domestic audience and looked second rate. What would have been one of the bigger stories in the opening week of the National Bank Open — Auger-Aliassime's meek straight-sets exit — was instead all but ignored. No live coverage beyond a couple of updates, no reaction from the Canadian and certainly no analysis. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It got worse. When providing an update, the ATP announcers muttered something about Auger-Aliassime not being able to contend for a home win to delight the Canadian crowd. 'We had one (Canadian win), but it was not in the open era,' the voice said. 'I'll have to find out who it was. I did read it somewhere.' Ouch. But this is what happens when a network risks a universal feed made for a world audience by going on the cheap. Perhaps there is an arrogance that viewers would watch no matter what coverage appeared, but on a night when there was no Blue Jays baseball, there was a chance for Canadian sports fans to rally around Auger-Aliassime. Adding to the embarrassment is the fact that not only is Auger-Aliassime a popular Canadian (and an Olympic medallist last summer in Paris) he's a Rogers sponsored athlete and involved in a cross promotion at a recent Blue Jays game when he tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. He was on the big court in prime time for a reason. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More By extension, the exclusion of the top-seeded Canuck was a bad look for Tennis Canada, which has to be seething at the work of its broadcast partner. Sportsnet is picking up the world feed for the women's portion of the tournament in Montreal as well on one of the other Sportsnet channels. However, in that case, Canadian fans got lucky. Not only did television viewers get to see both of Eugenie Bouchard's matches, but they also had uninterrupted coverage of the post-match celebration of the retiring Bouchard's career after her loss Wednesday. The bad news for Sportsnet? A tough run for the National Bank Open with big-seed withdrawals is now without it's two top hopes (and top ratings draws) on the men's side given the early exits of Auger-Aliassime and Dennis Shapovalov. The good news for Sportsnet? Full production returns on Saturday with Rob Faulds (play-by-play), Jimmy Arias (analyst) and Jesse Levine (courtside reporter) in Toronto and Caroline Cameron (play-by-play) Tracy Austin (analyst) and Danielle Michaud (courtside reporter) in Montreal. At least the tournament — a summer highlight for Canadian sports fans — gets the big-league treatment it deserves, even if it is maddeningly late. Toronto & GTA Celebrity Canada Canada Canada
National Post
3 hours ago
- National Post
Rogers serves up embarrassing double fault on Sportsnet's National Bank Open coverage
Remember when tennis was treated as a big thing in Canada, especially on television? Article content Remember when the annual pro tournament here was known as the Rogers Cup and Rogers Sportsnet treated it like it was something special with full-on, extensive coverage? Article content Well those days appear long gone, at least for early round coverage of the latest rendition of the National Bank Open, being played this week and next in Montreal in Toronto. In what would seem to be a puzzling move to cut costs by Rogers, viewers are being short-changed to the point of being embarrassing. Article content Article content For the first week of action, anyway, Sportsnet is pulling in the ATP world feed to air on its platforms, a bare-bones production that is in stark contrast to what the network showed in the past and pays minimal attention to the stories that matter most to viewers here. Article content The regular coverage returns next week, but rather late to the party. Article content The result has tennis fans outraged and those following the Canadian players on both the men's and women's tour miffed at the indifference from Rogers, which still remains a presenting sponsor. Article content A Sportsnet spokesman says the change in coverage is 'adjusting to the tournament's expanded format' given the simultaneous men's and women's events take place over two weeks. Article content In the early going, what will viewers notice the most? If they care about Canadian tennis, plenty. Article content It was never more evident than on Wednesday night when the bland and rambling ATP feed completely ignored one of the matches of great interest to viewers who have long enjoyed coverage of the annual Canadian professional stop. Article content Instead, the network was showing Arthus Fils and Pablo Carreno Busta, a match we can confidently predict would have had zero interest from Canadian fans unless either player has relatives here. The only justification — such as it is — would be that Fils was the No. 15 seed, but tucked away on a back court. It was action definitely not made for prime time nor made for the domestic audience and looked second rate. Article content What would have been one of the bigger stories in the opening week of the National Bank Open — Auger-Aliassime's meek straight-sets exit — was instead all but ignored. No live coverage beyond a couple of updates, no reaction from the Canadian and certainly no analysis. Article content It got worse. When providing an update, the ATP announcers muttered something about Auger-Aliassime not being able to contend for a home win to delight the Canadian crowd. Article content 'We had one (Canadian win), but it was not in the open era,' the voice said. 'I'll have to find out who it was. I did read it somewhere.' Article content Ouch. Article content But this is what happens when a network risks a universal feed made for a world audience by going on the cheap. Perhaps there is an arrogance that viewers would watch no matter what coverage appeared, but on a night when there was no Blue Jays baseball, there was a chance for Canadian sports fans to rally around Auger-Aliassime. Article content Adding to the embarrassment is the fact that not only is Auger-Aliassime a popular Canadian (and an Olympic medallist last summer in Paris) he's a Rogers sponsored athlete and involved in a cross promotion at a recent Blue Jays game when he tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. He was on the big court in prime time for a reason. Article content Article content By extension, the exclusion of the top-seeded Canuck was a bad look for Tennis Canada, which has to be seething at the work of its broadcast partner. Article content Sportsnet is picking up the world feed for the women's portion of the tournament in Montreal as well on one of the other Sportsnet channels. Article content However, in that case, Canadian fans got lucky. Not only did television viewers get to see both of Eugenie Bouchard's matches, but they also had uninterrupted coverage of the post-match celebration of the retiring Bouchard's career after her loss Wednesday. Article content The bad news for Sportsnet? A tough run for the National Bank Open with big-seed withdrawals is now without it's two top hopes (and top ratings draws) on the men's side given the early exits of Auger-Aliassime and Dennis Shapovalov. Article content
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bouchard bids adieu to tennis with throwback performance at hometown National Bank Open
MONTREAL (AP) — Genie Bouchard didn't look like a player limping into retirement. You'd be forgiven for thinking she was still in her prime. On center court in her hometown, Bouchard delivered a thrilling performance — and a heartfelt goodbye to tennis — with a hard-fought loss in her final match Wednesday night. 'I've always had a feeling I would end my career here,' Bouchard said. 'Montreal is where I was born and raised, so it just feels right. An emotional moment. I think I just wanted a moment like this because my career deserved a moment like this. 'I really think I got it tonight, and I'm so grateful for that.' The 31-year-old bowed out 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the National Bank Open's second round against 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland but electrified the crowd against a top-tier opponent — showing flashes of the assertive game that once powered her rise to world No. 5 in 2014. So is she sure about retiring? 'My sister said she started a petition with fans in the crowd, and everyone signed it, so now I have no choice but to rescind my retirement,' Bouchard said, smiling. 'But there's a lot of hard work that goes into tennis. It was great to be able to perform well, but it's such a tough life of sacrifice and hard work. 'I've given so much to tennis, and it's given me so much, but I do feel ready to move on from that and do other things in life, but I will forever be grateful for what tennis has given me.' Bouchard had extended her Montreal run with a throwback first-round upset Monday night against Emiliana Arango, her first WTA Tour victory since 2023. The local favorite turned back the clock again Wednesday by rallying from down a set, but Bencic held on to win the match in two hours, 16 minutes. Fans packing the stands at IGA Stadium chanted 'Let's Go Genie!' and grew louder throughout the night, standing for several ovations. Bouchard returned the favor with an emotional, teary-eyed speech during an on-court ceremony. 'It's so special to play my last match here in Montreal, on this court, in front of you guys,' she said. 'I remember being a little kid, sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day. 'It feels like such a full-circle moment.' And her career almost continued a little longer. After a difficult first set, Bouchard bounced back to win the second and went up a break early in the third, winning a back-and-forth third game when Bencic's shot dipped into the net on the Canadian's fifth breakpoint opportunity. Bencic regrouped and broke back to tie at 3-3 as Bouchard sprayed shots wide and long. Trailing 5-4 and needing to hold serve, Bouchard fell in a 40-love hole and sent her backhand wide while defending the second match point, ending her upset bid. 'I knew I could win the match,' she said. 'It was really close from the second onward.' Instead, it marks the end of a roller-coaster career. Bouchard peaked during the 2014 season, winning her only WTA singles title, reaching the Australian Open and French Open semis and becoming the first Canadian to play in a Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon. But Bouchard's rapid rise at 20 also quickly came falling down after her 6-3, 6-0 loss to Petra Kvitova at the All England Club. Her highly anticipated homecoming one month later ended abruptly with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 loss against American qualifier Shelby Rogers at the then-called Rogers Cup. And the following year, Bouchard crashed out of the French Open and Wimbledon first rounds as losing streaks piled up. A run to the U.S. Open fourth round hinted at a return to form, until Bouchard suffered a concussion from slipping in the locker room — for which she later filed a lawsuit — forcing her to withdraw from the tournament. In recent years, Bouchard has sporadically played on the pro tennis circuit, spending more time on the PPA Pickleball Tour, where she ranks 12th in singles. She ramped up for her final event with the WTA 125 Hall of Fame Open in July — her first tournament since last year's National Bank Open — and lost her opener in straight sets. As for what's next, Bouchard says she looks forward to sleeping in, going on vacation and reflecting on what she wants to do with the rest of her life. 'I feel like I missed out because I didn't go to college and didn't go to school,' she said. 'Diving into the TV stuff more is definitely something I enjoy, so that's a probable next step. I mean, are any of you guys hiring (laughing)? I don't know how to even write — what do you even call it when you …'. The word Bouchard was looking for? Resume. 'I don't even have one of those,' she said. 'Maybe my agent can come up with one for me. I'm not used to doing that.' ___ AP tennis:
