If you could sum it up, Canada is not a nation known for producing many world-class tennis players. For a country with so much natural beauty and history, we’re simply not used to one of our own making it onto the world stage.
However, a lot of tennis players will probably agree that it is much easier to hit a tennis ball during the warm months of summer. However, it is twice as hard to be playing on a snowy day on the courts. The snow will probably cover your eyes and make it hard for you to play your best game. But that didn’t stop the world from seeing some really talented Canadian players grace the tennis court.
Time after time, decade after decade, several Canadian sportsmen have distianguished themselves and created some wonderful history in the process. But they’re often seen as underdogs and usually have low odds on sports betting sites. But we’re going to talk about Canadian players who have sent the wagering markets and tennis world into a meltdown. So, without further ado, below you’ll find our list of the top 3 Canadian tennis players ever to play the game.
Daniel Nestor
Despite Canada not having the most glorious history in this sport, the recently retired Daniel Nestor has done the job of reminding the tennis world about Canada, time and time again.
In his mighty 28 years in tennis, Daniel earned a lot of respect and got his name even at the top a few times. In the year 2002, he made it to the top of doubles tennis players’ rankings. Not just that, he was named in the ATP double team of the year three-time—twice with Mark Knowles, in the year 2002 and 2004; and later on, with Nenad Zimonjic, in the year 2018.
One of Nestor’s most decorated career moments came in the year 2000, when he made entire Canada proud by winning an Olympic gold medal. Of course, he has won 8 grand slams, but winning Olympic gold for your country is always holds a different place in an athlete’s career. But there’s a lot more to celebrate about his career.
In case you didn’t know, Daniel’s name shines brightly in the record books too, as he was the first player in the history of the sport to win every Grand Slam and Masters Series Event, the Year End ATP finals Championships, along with Olympic Gold medal, at least once in his career—how remarkable is that?
And the records don’t stop there. In the year 2016, Nestor became the first doubles player in the history of ATP to win 1000 matches!
Milos Raonic
We’ve already talked about a past legend, who made a big name for himself in the doubles category. Now we’ll talk about a legend-to-be player, who has left his imprint on the tennis world over and over again in the singles category. And to be fair, he is already a legend as he is the highest-ever ranked Canadian player in the singles category in the history of tennis.
If you have watched enough tennis, try recalling a tall, 6’5″ guy who stunned Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championship in the year 2016. Ring a bell? Well, that’s who Milos Raonic was. He only fell short in the final game in the tournament, where he lost to Andy Murray. His journey to the final was still a proud moment for the Canadian people. And that’s not the only time he announced himself to the world in a major tournament. He also made it to the semis at 2014’s Wimbledon as well. He has also been 3 ATP World Tour Master 1000 finals (2013, 2014, 2016). People called him the future of tennis for a reason.
But, there have been numerous occasions when he didn’t fall short. After all, he has eight ATP World Tour titles for a reason. His ranks have risen dramatically in last few years. His peak moment came in November 2016, when he was ATP World Number 3 in the singles rankings.
Raonic’s strength lies in his strong serving game, as his winning percentage in serves ranks very high among active tennis players.
Eugenie Bouchard
We’ve already discussed players who dominated doubles and men’s singles. But you can’t have a conversation about Canadian Tennis players without mentioning show-stealer, Eugenie Bouchard. She gets her name from Princess Eugenie of York. People often call her Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard, and it makes sense too—she castes a magic spell wherever she goes, be it on the tennis court or even beyond it.
Her stunning looks often invite a lot of attention, but her performances on the court make her a special player for the Canadians. She’s known to dominate play from the baseline, and that has got her as high as world number 5, back in 2014. In the year 2013, she was named honored with the ‘WTA Newcomer of the Year’ award, thanks to her spellbinding performances in the Australian Open (where she reached the semi-finals) and the French Open. But the biggest highlight of her career was winning the 2012 Wimbledon girls’ title.
Conclusion
To conclude, there are several Canadians who have made their mark on the sport of tennis, from those who were courageous enough to defy the odds and make them into a living, to others who proved that they had what it takes to become a champion in their field. The sport of tennis will be left with many fond memories for the Canadian people, thanks to these people.
