Just a quick picture to tide you tennis fans over till I can get the full post up later tonight. Canadian tennis star Stephanie Dubois won her second-round match in straight sets Thursday, defeating Misaki Doi of Japan (WR #94) 6–1, 6–4.
Headed up to Hollyburn for a bit of Women’s First Round action this afternoon, and caught an all-Canadian matchup: Stephanie Dubois, ranked #4 in Canada (World Ranking #164), won in straight sets over Egyptian-born, Toronto-based Heidi El Tabakh (WR #284), 7–5, 6–3.
El Tabakh hits with some serious power, and offered up more than a few impressive winners in the match. Unfortunately for her, on this day she allowed emotions to distract her, double faulting after a long baseline rally and swearing at herself repeatedly during the second set. Dubois, who won the Vancouver Open in 2009, took advantage of El Tabakh’s mood swings, dictating the overall pace of the game and frustrating her opponent with a calm, cool demeanor throughout the match.
More, including more pictures, after the jump.
Continue reading Vancouver Open: Dubois cruises through the first round
After a freebie weekend of qualifying matches, the Vancouver Open officially served up its first round of play on Monday. Pucked in the Head was there to soak up some rays, snap a few pictures, and admire some damned fine athletes under gorgeous summer conditions.
You win some, you lose some
Canadians occupied quite a few qualifying and first round spots on both the men’s and women’s side of the draw. With one of the largest purses on the ATP Challengers Tour, the Vancouver Open (@vanopen on the mighty Twitter) also attracts a high-quality international field, with more than a dozen countries represented up at Hollyburn Country Club this week.
Round one of the men’s draw saw 22-year-old Steven Diez, ranked 218 in the world, defeat #202 Matt Reid of Australia in straight sets, 6–4, 6–2. Reid seemed a little rattled early on in the match, when one of his serves (clocked at 197 km per hour, mind you) hit a young ball girl in the temple. She was forced to withdraw from her duties in the back court. She would be fine, but Reid not so much. Diez broke him in the next service game and never looked back.
The women’s side was still in qualifying rounds on Monday — Canadian Stacey Fung lost in straight sets to Sherazad Benamar, a 24-year-old southpaw from France, 6–1, 6–3. Benamar overpowered the teen with superior net play, more mobility on the baseline, and more passion between points as well.
The Vancouver Open is on at Hollyburn all week, with the semis and finals going next Saturday and Sunday. Preliminary rounds offer some great value for tickets, as well, so head out to Hollyburn and enjoy some top flight tennis with some of the best up-and-coming professional players in the world.
This weekend sees the Odlum Brown Vancouver Open Tennis Tournament open with qualifying rounds at the scenic Hollyburn Country Club in North Vancouver. While skeptics complain that the field doesn’t include the top personalities in world rankings — no Rafa or Roger, no Martina or Serena, as the OBVO schedule coincides with Canada’s only ATP World Tour event, the Rogers Cup co-hosted in TO and Montreal — but there is plenty of excellent tennis to be seen. And as a venue, Hollyburn is as good as they come.
Canadians Vasek Pospisil (Can #3, World #89), Frank Dancevic (Can #4, World #161) and Felip Peliwo (Can #7, World #434) are among the recognizable names in the men’s draw. Pospisil has taken part in Canada’s historic run to the Davis Cup semifinals, and will continue to play alongside Milos Raonic and Daniel Nestor when they take on Serbia in September. Dancevic, likewise, was a major part of the Canadian win over Spain at UBC; he has been a fixture for Tennis Canada since turning pro in 2003. Peliwo, for his part, did nothing less than become the first Canadian male to win a single’s title at Wimbledon, bringing home the 2012 junior championship.
More after the jump.
Continue reading Hollyburn boasts deep field, beautiful views for Vancouver Open
This year was supposed to be the year Wimbledon history was made. And it most certainly was, if not for the right reasons.
