When most people think of Canadian sports, they immediately think of hockey.
While it is true that Canada has produced some of the best hockey players in the world, the country has also produced some fantastic athletes across a variety of different sports over the years, too. For instance, there will be many that will be hoping the current crop of soccer stars will be able to the best Canadian football players ever when they represent the country at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.
However, for the purpose of this article, we thought we would take a look at the tennis players to have come from the Maple Leaf Country, and try to rank who we believe to be among the five top athletes to have performed on the tennis court for Canada in history.
So, without further ado, let’s get straight into it!
How popular is the sport of tennis in Canada?
Source: https://advancedbackrehab.com/score-relief-tennis-ball/
Tennis is not the most popular sport in Canada by any means. In fact, it would be fair to say that hockey, lacrosse, and even curling probably rank ahead of tennis when it comes to the sport that Canadians are most passionate about.
However, there is no doubt that tennis is still a hugely popular sport in the country, with there being many amateur and professional players across all four corners of the nation. The reasons the sport has become among one of the most popular in recent years is probably down to the success of some of the Canadian players that we will be talking about a little later on in this article, as well as the fact that the game is relatively easy to access for residents of the country.
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While access to a court is required, this is potentially the biggest obstacle as equipment such as a racquet and a ball are not too hard to try and get your hands on. With easy access to these resources, as well as encouraging performances from those representing the country, the game continues to appeal to younger audiences, thus encouraging them to take up the sport themselves.
Who are some of the biggest tennis stars from Canada?
Naturally, given the rise in popularity of the sport, there are a number of tennis players to have been able to create a reputation of being some of the best that the Maple Leaf Country has to offer! Let’s take a look at the top five…
#5 – Félix Auger-Aliassime
Félix Auger-Aliassime is a rising star on the tennis scene. At just 22 years old, he is already ranked No. 8 in the world by the ATP, as of August 2022 – the highest ranking of his singles career to date. He has ATP Tour titles to his name and has reached the semifinals of two Grand Slam tournaments.
Given his age and ability, he has also become a favorite for those who watch tennis and like to place a wager on the youngster when they look to try and enhance their viewing experiences.
For instance, fans are able to use the latest sports betting in Ontario odds for Félix Auger-Aliassime whenever he takes to the court throughout the season and place a wager on him. Indeed, he has become a popular choice due to what he has been able to achieve.
As a result, it is safe to say that Auger-Aliassime has a bright future ahead of him and is already one of the best Canadian tennis players in history.
#4 – Milos Raonic
Milos Raonic is a former world No. 3 who has won six ATP Tour titles in his career. He reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2016 and has also reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and French Open. Raonic is still only 31 years old however he has not been seen on the ATP Tour since 2021 as he has had a hiatus following a number of injuries that he has sustained.
#3 – Vasek Pospisil
Vasek Pospisil is a veteran Canadian tennis player who has been on the tour for over a decade. He has won titles and reached his career-high ranking of No. 25 in 2014. Pospisil had his best Grand Slam showing at Wimbledon in 2015 when he reached the quarterfinals. He is currently ranked No.131 in the world but is still capable of playing at a high level.
#2 – Denis Shapovalov
Denis Shapovalov burst onto the scene in 2017 when he reached the semifinals of the Rogers Cup as a wildcard entry. He followed that up with an appearance in the Round of 16 at the US Open. Shapovalov has since won one ATP Tour title and achieved a career-high ranking of No 15 in 2019; currently, he is the 21st-ranked player in the men’s game at the moment. The 23-year-old looks like he could be a mainstay near the top of the rankings for many years to come, especially as he has managed to put together some strong performances in the Grand Slams. This includes a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon and a quarterfinal appearance at both the Australian Open and the US Open.
#1 – Eugenie Bouchard
Source: https://lobandsmash.com/2017/05/01/eugenie-bouchard-top-five-career/2/
Eugenie Bouchard is easily one of the most popular Canadian tennis players ever thanks to her incredible run to the Wimbledon final in 2014. Bouchard was just 20 years old when she made it all the way to the SW19 final, becoming the first Canadian to do so in history. She would go on to reach two more Grand Slam semifinals and achieve a career-high ranking of No 5 in October 2014. Bouchard’s star has faded somewhat since then but she remains one of Canada’s all-time greats.
Leylah Fernandez may be the next name for the country to watch out as she may replicate – and potentially better – what Bouchard had managed to achieve.
Conclusion
These are just five of Canada’s all-time great tennis players but there are many more that deserve mention including Piperette Garant, Carol DiFiore, Helena Sukova, and Jenny Byrne among others. Canada has produced some truly special talents over the years and there is no doubt that they will continue to do so for many years to come!
