Nadal to play in 'Peg?

MTS Centre could host Davis Cup tie

(Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION | By: Geoff Kirbyson, Posted: 09/26/2012)

Spain's Rafael Nadal is recovering from a leg
 injury but is hoping to return soon.
(MICHEL EULER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

One of the best tennis players in history could be wearing his country's colours at the MTS Centre in a few months if the stars align for Bruce Waschuk.

The president of Tennis Manitoba is putting a full-court press on Tennis Canada to host its Davis Cup tie against Spain next February in Winnipeg.

"We've been slowly doing international tennis in Winnipeg for the last three years," Waschuk said, referring to a trio of International Tennis Federation junior tournaments and a "futures" event last month at Sargent Park Tennis Club. "This is the next logical step."

Winnipeg is most definitely on the short list of potential hosts, according to Tennis Canada president and CEO, Michael Downey.

"We're looking at half-dozen cities. We're going through the criteria we need. We want to win the tie. Where do our players want to play? There's no doubt Winnipeg's cold weather in February would be an advantage against our guests from Spain," he said.

Canada has qualified in the Davis Cup's top 16 countries for the second year in a row. The reward is playing the top-ranked Spaniards.

Spain's undisputed leader is Rafael Nadal, currently the No. 4 player in the world and holder of 11 Grand Slam titles, including seven at the French Open. He has been out for several months with a leg injury but it's hoped he'll be back shortly.

Even though Winnipeg has no history hosting tennis events of this magnitude, the city's over-the-top support of the Jets last season will definitely help the pitch, Downey said.

"We want to know we're going to a marketplace that has great tennis fans and a great sporting history. The fact Winnipeg came back to the NHL last year and did so well is important. Winnipeg was the place to be last year. Even though we're a different sport, it says something about the fans," he said.

True North Sports & Entertainment is looking to put as many non-hockey events in the MTS Centre as possible, provided they're appropriate for the market. Regardless of what happens with the NHL lockout, the building is open for the necessary dates, Feb. 1-3, and for the week beforehand (when players from both countries would need to practice.)

There have been very few professional tennis events in Winnipeg over the years.

In 1987, Boris Becker took on Kevin Curren in an exhibition match (with an undercard featuring Vitas Gerulaitis and Canada's top-ranked player at the time, Andrew Sznajder) and ten years ago, Monica Seles played Anna Kournikova.

Both exhibitions were held at the Winnipeg Arena.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 26, 2012 C6

Please "LIKE" our bid to bring the Davis Cup to Winnipeg at facebook.com/WinnipegDavisCup

Let's bring the Davis Cup to Winnipeg

Canadian tennis appears to be at an all time high, and Winnipeg has been getting closer to the action.

Winnipeg fans were thrilled to watch Filip Peliwo compete recently in Winnipeg at the Manshield Tennis Futures. Peliwo has since claimed his second junior Grand Slam title and left junior tennis ranked first in the world. He joined Daniel Nestor and Milos Raonic in Montreal a couple weeks ago, as the Canadian Davis Cup Team defeated South Africa to move Canada into the World Group for 2013.

Fast forward to February 1-3, 2012, when Spain will face Canada in the opening round of the 2013 Davis Cup. It will be Tennis Canada's turn to select the type of surface as well as the location when the two nations contest the tie. We anticipate that Spain's hopes for a warm locale with red clay tennis courts is not likely to happen.

Tennis fans in the 'Peg would be down right giddy with the prospects of witnessing Milos "Maple Leaf Missile" Raonic launch his massive serves at the likes of Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer. Or watching the greatest doubles player ever, Daniel Nestor, and the young Vasek Pospisil battle Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez on lightning quick hard courts.

Well, you can't buy your tickets for the Canada versus Spain tilt just yet. However, you can help Tennis Canada find a nice cold, windy spot to host our Spanish friends as they take on our home team this coming February.

Why not bring the Davis Cup to Winnipeg?

To vote for Winnipeg, "LIKE" our Winnipeg Davis Cup event page on Facebook at facebook.com/WinnipegDavisCup

Community Fundamentals Instructors Course

Tennis Manitoba is offering a Community Fundamentals Instructors Level 1 course in October. The course details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012
Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Place: Winnipeg Winter Club
Cost: $25

The course focuses on teaching and running tennis programs in school gyms and community centres. People who hold this certificate will be eligible to work in Tennis Manitoba After School Programs, Community Centre Programs, and other community based programs. It is not necessary to be a tennis player to take this course.

For more information or to register, please email Rob Langan at rob@tennismanitoba.com or 204.925.5660.

Angela Earl to leave Tennis Manitoba

Angela Earl has announced she will be leaving the position of Executive Director of Tennis Manitoba. While she has decided to take a slightly different professional direction she looks forward to staying connected with the tennis community. The association is very appreciative of Angela's many contributions during the past year, and her willingness to assist in a transition role while Tennis Manitoba fills the vacant Executive Director position.

The Tennis Manitoba Board is now seeking qualified candidates for the organization's operational management position. For more information, contact Board President, Bruce Waschuk at bruce.waschuk@tennismanitoba.com.

Back to school, back to indoor tennis fun!

Photo of Winnipeg interschool tennis league
courtesy of Derek Bramadat.

Tennis Manitoba (TM) has been working vigorously to prepare for the start of a new school year and season of indoor tennis.

This involves training additional community instructors for Progressive Tennis and team play, developing community contacts and networks, and applying for school gymnasium permits for extra programming. Most importantly, TM is building on previous years experience and creating a school/community/business partnership program to help facilitate community clusters (which includes local clubs) of year-long tennis, and a pathway of learning and fun. A flux and flow of school programming to community programming to club programming is the goal. It’s exciting to see recreational tennis activity as well as those who catch a true love of  the sport and begin training with high level coaches.

Championing a fun healthy active lifestyle, community connections, affordability and accessibility positions tennis as a wonderful option for families. Age and level appropriate development through the use of Progressive Tennis accelerates the ability to play the game. And team play ensures extra hitting, tactical development and fun with friends. We are keen to introduce families to tennis at a grassroots levels and see play flourish all year. If you would like to see a community cluster and partnerships grow in your area, please give us a shout! You may reach Rob Langan, Manager of Community Tennis Development, via  rob@tennismanitoba.com or 204.925.5660. You may also visit www.tennismantioba.com for a listing of TM member clubs to begin to discover the programming they offer.

This is an excerpt from the August 2012 issue of the Tennis Manitoba 1st Serve magazine.

Kildonan Tennis Club to celebrate 75th anniversary

The Manitoba tennis community is invited to celebrate Kildonan Tennis Club’s 75th anniversary on Friday, October 12, 2012. Join KTC for a special evening including dinner, entertainment, awards presentation and prizes.

Where: Rossmere Country Club, 925 Watt Street
When: Friday, October 12, 2012
Time: Cocktails at 6:30pm, followed by dinner at 7pm
Tickets: $40 per person (guests welcome)

Tickets can be purchased at the Club (17 Valhalla Drive) or by contacting either Alix at 204-667-6420 or Kathy at 204-654-9754.

Wimbledon winner gives 'Peg a try

Wimbledon champ comes to Winnipeg

[Courtesy of Kevin Hirschfield, Winnipeg Sun]

Along with being upset, Vancouver tennis star Filip Peliwo admitted he was worried after losing the final of the French Junior Open in June.

“I was so disappointed with that one, probably the most disappointing loss of the year and even of my life,” said Peliwo. “I was so down after it.”

It was his second straight loss in a junior grand slam final after a loss at the Australian Open in January and the 18-year-old was concerned about bouncing back from consecutive heartbreaks. But just under a month later in London, Peliwo was celebrating a Wimbledon junior title, becoming the first Canadian male to accomplish that feat.

“I just went in to Wimbledon with no expectations, forgot about the French and got my major on the third try,” said Peliwo.

The Wimbledon champ is in Winnipeg this week competing in the ITF Manshield Futures Tournament at Sargent Park Tennis Garden. The ITF Men’s Pro Circuit is known as the third tier tour for professional men’s tennis with the ATP World Tour being the top level and the Challengers Tour being the second level. The inaugural Winnipeg ITF event features a $15,000 prize for the winner, one of the reasons Peliwo decided to make his first trip to Winnipeg.

“I’ve been playing Futures mostly, and the prize here is bigger than most futures tournaments, and I’m ranked pretty high so it’s a chance for me to do well.”

Peliwo is the top-ranked junior player in the world but in this week’s tournament that features some experienced professionals, Peliwo sits as the fifth seed. He is also using this tournament as a tune-up for the final grand slam junior event, the US Junior Open, in New York beginning Sept. 2, which he says will likely be his last junior event as he makes the transition to the full-time pro stage. He says every week playing against professional players is a learning experience.

“You learn what you have to do to beat these guys,” said Peliwo. “Even if you don’t win, like for example when I played in the Rogers Cup (qualifying) a few weeks back, I saw what I had to do to beat the guy and I was trying to go for too much.”

It’s been an outstanding couple of months for tennis in Canada, with Milos Raonic rising up the ATP rankings, and Peliwo and Eugenie Bouchard winning the boys and girls junior crowns at Wimbledon. But Peliwo isn’t worried about any pressure that may be added as the result of his major victory.

“I’ve managed to get my head past that,” he said. “I’ve obviously noticed there’s more attention but I’m just playing it as another tournament and focusing on my game. I find it a lot easier now to keep that pressure off, I just take it as support rather than people having big expectations.”

Peliwo won his first singles match in Winnipeg and was playing in the round of 16 Thursday afternoon. The semifinals go Saturday afternoon at Sargent Park with the final going Sunday.