Tickets Available for Davis Cup Action

Davis Cup Action: Canada vs Spain, February 1-3

A new block of tickets are now available for the up-coming Davis Cup tie being held in Vancouver. You can buy your tickets now at Ticketmaster.ca or catch all the action on Sportsnet.

For additional Davis Cup details, check out www.tenniscanada.com/daviscup

Canada Summer Games Tryouts Approaching

Hannah Blatt was part of the silver metal winning
Team Toba at the 2011 Western Canada Summer
Games held in Kamloops, BC.

» CSG Selection Tournament Draws

Tennis Manitoba will be holding a Canada Summer Games Selection Tournament for those competitive junior tennis players wishing to tryout for the 2013 Canada Summer Games training squad. The tournament will take place at Taylor Tennis on January 25th and 26th, and is open to all players wishing to complete for a spot on the 16 player practice team.

The competition will be based on singles match play among players in one of four categories, which are boys or girls in the under 18 years of age, or under 16 years of age groups.

The entry fee is $40 per player. Registration deadline is Sunday, January 20th at 10 pm. Please contact the Tennis Manitoba office for additional information.

» Online registration link
» Contact Tennis Manitoba details

About the Canada Summer Games
The Canada Games are the country’s largest domestic multisport event and are the pinnacle of inter‑provincial/territorial sport competition.  The Games are held at two-year intervals, alternating between winter and summer. Participants from 13 provinces and territories join together to share the spirit of competition, demonstrate sporting excellence, and celebrate cultural diversity.

The Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Summer Games will be held in Sherbrooke, Quebec from August 2 to 17, marking the first time that Sherbrooke will host the Canada Games, as well as the first time that the Canada Summer Games will be held in the province of Quebec.

During the two-week period, over 4200 participants ranging in age from 15 to 23 will compete in 17 sports for the right to claim the Canada Games Flag for their province. Approximately 220 Paralympic and Special Olympic athletes under 30 years of age will also participate in the Games in three and two sports, respectively. The Games will provide national competitive opportunities for athletes to excel and achieve excellence in their sports.There will also be participants of the Women In Coaching Program and the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program attending the Games. » More games details

Tennis Manitoba Looking to Hire Games Manager

Tennis Manitoba is accepting applications for the position of team manager for the 2013 Canada Summer Games. As per Canada Summer Games guidelines, the available position is open to female candidates.  If you are interested, please submit your resume by Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 4:00 pm C.T. 

Questions pertaining to the position can be directed to Mark Arndt, Executive Director at Tennis Manitoba.

» Contact Tennis Manitoba details

About the Canada Summer Games
The Canada Games are the country’s largest domestic multisport event and are the pinnacle of inter‑provincial/territorial sport competition.  The Games are held at two-year intervals, alternating between winter and summer. Participants from 13 provinces and territories join together to share the spirit of competition, demonstrate sporting excellence, and celebrate cultural diversity.

The Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Summer Games will be held in Sherbrooke, Quebec from August 2 to 17, marking the first time that Sherbrooke will host the Canada Games, as well as the first time that the Canada Summer Games will be held in the province of Quebec.

During the two-week period, over 4200 participants ranging in age from 15 to 23 will compete in 17 sports for the right to claim the Canada Games Flag for their province. Approximately 220 Paralympic and Special Olympic athletes under 30 years of age will also participate in the Games in three and two sports, respectively. The Games will provide national competitive opportunities for athletes to excel and achieve excellence in their sports.There will also be participants of the Women In Coaching Program and the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program attending the Games. » More games details

Success for Manitobans at Little Mo Internationals

Reece Carter and Marcello Audino at the
Little Mo Internationals in Florida.

Manitoba was well represented at the 6th annual "Little Mo" International Open tennis tournament that recently took place in December at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Eight year old Reece Carter, and nine year old Marcello Audino went deep into their singles draws, teamed up to advance to the finals in mixed doubles, and brought home championship trophies after claiming victory in their respective doubles events.

Both players made it to the quarter finals in their singles draws, with Reece falling to an opponent from South Africa and Marcello being knocked out by an opponent from Egypt.

In doubles, Reece and her partner from Toronto stormed to victory, capturing the 8 year old girls doubles title. The girls were able to defeat other teams from the USA, Egypt, South Africa, and Guatemala. Marcello Audino and his partner from the USA claimed victory by winning the doubles title for 9 year old boys.

When the Manitoba duo teamed up for the 9 year old mixed doubles event, they were able to get to the finals, eventually losing to the champions from Egypt.

Reece and Marcello greatly enjoyed their international tennis experience, and the young tennis phenoms are already planning their return to the Little Mo Internationals in December 2013.

Congratulations to Reece Carter and Marcello Audino for their success in Florida!

View photo gallery

About "Little Mo"
In 1953, a young girl named Maureen Connolly won the Grand Slam of tennis.  She was the first woman to ever capture this elusive crown by winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon, and U.S. Championships in one calendar year.  She was only 18 years old when she accomplished this magnificent feat. Maureen was known as the incomparable “Little Mo”.

The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation has benefitted tens of thousands of boys and girls throughout the U.A. and the world during its 44 year history. The foundation runs multiple tournaments and programs including the "Road to the Little Mo Nationals" circuit (sectional/regional/national events for high performance players ages 7-11), and the "Mini Mo" tournament (for beginning players ages 5-10). Additionally, the foundation organizes the "Little Mo" Internationals-Forest Hills, New York (ages 8-12) and the Connolly Challenge Trophy, an international team competition between the top USA and British (girls 18 & under). For more information, visit www.mcbtennis.org

Charlie McLean takes on technical director position

Charlie McLean is the new Tennis
Manitoba Technical Director

Tennis Manitoba is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlie McLean as Technical Director of tennis in our province. Charlie’s knowledge and experience will greatly support Tennis Manitoba's efforts to improve player development among competitive juniors aged 18 years and under.

Charlie’s extensive tennis background includes:

• Coach to players reaching ATP and WTA world rankings
• Tennis Canada Coach 3 – Level 3 certification
• Team Captain – Under 10 British Champions
• British Lawn Tennis Association Development Award – Level 3
• British Lawn Tennis Association Performance Coach – Level 3
• Tennis Alberta’s Coach of the Year – 2011
• Current Head Professional at World Health, Calgary
• Current High Performance Co-ordinator with Tennis Alberta.

The Tennis Manitoba Technical Director is currently a part time contract position with responsibility for creating long term player development plans and programs which involve Tennis Manitoba staff and Manitoba-based tennis coaches. Charlie starts December 14th with a series of player identification sessions in Winnipeg.

Kids team tennis leagues to start January

Kids tennis leagues will be starting up again this January at several locations throughout Winnipeg. The leagues are for children ages 12 years and under who are new to tennis. Participants can play right away due to the modified tennis format which uses slower balls, smaller courts, and right sized racquets.

Kids team tennis league details

• Tennis experience is not required
• Modified tennis equipment is provided
• Kids will be placed on a team with a coach
• League sessions also include practices
• Kids earn points for their team
• All participants receive a T-shirt and modified ball.

The Tennis Manitoba kids tennis leagues offer children the opportunity to develop their individual and team tennis skills in a fun, yet competitive atmosphere. For more information or to register, visit tennismanitoba.com/aces

First time champs at WWC Indoor Singles Open

Kylie Waschuk and Lisa Bayko meet in the Women's Open
finals at the 2012 WWC Indoor Singles Open.

The Winnipeg Winter Club saw several new champions crowned at the recent 2012 WWC Indoor Singles Open. Shane Nicholls secured his first Open Men's title by methodically marching through the draw without dropping a set in the process. Nicholls kept his composure in the championship final, outlasting the fiesty unseeded Mike Lodewyks in a hard hitting, back and forth battle.

Even the Men's 3.5 seeded players had difficulty making their way through to the semifinals in the draw. After the dust settled, unseeded Joe Cyr had sliced and diced his way to win the championship over fellow unseeded finalist, Gene Podliesecki.

However, the Men's 4.5 number one seed, Patrick Fu lived up to his top billing going into the event. Fu was able to take the title losing only 11 games in his 4 matches.

Kylie Waschuk continued her dominating local play, as she dropped only three games while cruising to defend her Women's Open title. The win for the 16 year old junior moved her up to a year ending second spot on the Rogers Rankings for females in the province.

In other women's events, Samantha Lee from Brandon was victorious in the Women's 4.5, and Shauna Filuk took the Women's 3.5 title. The tournament organizers acknowledged the largest turnout for the women's events in recent memory. We certainly hope this trend continues for future Tennis Manitoba Open Tour tournaments.

The 2012 WWC Doubles & Mixed Christmas Classic is the final tournament on the Tennis Manitoba schedule, and takes place at the Winnipeg Winter Club on December 15th - 20th. The online entry deadline is Tuesday, December 11th at 11:59pm. Don't miss out on your last opportunity to compete for doubles supremacy in Manitoba.

> Register today for the WWC Doubles & Mixed Christmas Classic