Beck and Lucic-Baroni, champions in 2015 and 2014, will also be returning to Quebec
Quebec City, August 17, 2023 – Tennis Canada announced Wednesday that several top WTA stars will be coming to Quebec next month to play the National Bank Cup presented by Mazda. This year, four Top 50 players will compete on the courts at PEPS on the campus of Laval University. Eugenie Bouchard (Montreal, QC) tops the 2016 player list at no. 40 on the WTA rankings.
Bouchard will try and become the first Canadian to win the title in Quebec after reaching the semifinals the last time she played the tournament in 2013. The 22-year-old won her first WTA crown in Nurnberg in 2014 and has reached five additional finals, including two this season. The last two champions of the National Bank Cup, Germany’s Annika Beck and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, will also be returning to Quebec this year. In 2015, Beck defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the final while Lucic-Baroni was a winner over Venus Williams in the 2014 championship match. 2010 Roland-Garros champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy is also entered. The 36-year-old is ranked no. 97 in the world and reached a career-high of no. 4 in 2011. The tournament will also feature an Olympic gold medalist with American Bethanie Mattek-Sands making her fifth appearance in Quebec. The Rio mixed doubles champion was a finalist in 2008 and 2010.
“We have an excellent player list once again this year which proves that the National Bank Cup continues to be an important tour stop for the top players in the world,” said Pierre-Luc Tessier, Tournament Director of the National Bank Cup. “Fans will have the chance to see some familiar faces as well as some rising stars in the women’s game. These remarkable athletes are going to put on a great show.”
The 32 player draw will be completed by qualifiers, wildcards, and WTA special exempts. These names will be announced at a later date. It is free to attend the qualifying matches on opening weekend.
The off-court activities will also be a highlight of the 24th edition of the tournament with a special focus on fun for the whole family. A tennis beach party will be held on Friday September 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the beach volleyball courts at PEPS. There will be animation, games, mini-tennis courts, music, and hot dogs. Those in attendance will also have the chance to win a $750 trip voucher from CAA Voyages.