It is the beginning of a “redefined era” for the omnium national banking, which will present this year the “most high” picture in its history. The 68 best players in the world, without exception, will all be there. “For those who are still looking for who will not be there … no one,” says Valérie Tétreault, director of the Montreal event.
Tennis Canada unveiled Thursday, during a press conference at the IGA stadium, the list of players who will be in the 2025 edition, the first in the new 12 -day format. They will be 96 in total, 40 more than in the past, to argue the great honors.
“If I can summarize our 2025 list to a word, I would say exceptional”, has a game of play letting M.me Tétreault, who talks about this edition as of an “important page in history” of the tournament.
“With this new format, with this expansion, our tournament is closer to the format that we find in the Grand Slam tournaments. »»
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
Montreal tennis lovers will be able to see the current stars of the circuit work.
Like the top 68 global in its entirety will be – in addition to 4 players exercising their protected ranking -, Montreal tennis lovers will be able to see the current stars of the circuit such as Aryna Sabalenka (1re), Coco Gauff (2e), the defending double champion of the OBN Jessica Pegula (3e) et Iga Świątek (4e).
Among the Canadians, only Quebecer Leylah Annie Fernandez has made her place in the main draw by virtue of her 40e world rank. However, she will not be the only representative of the unifolié, because Tennis Canada announced Thursday that she granted a pass to Bianca Andreescu (148e) and Victoria Mboko (97e).
Andreescu no longer needs presentation; She was the first Canadian to win a big home in simple. In the case of Victoria Mboko, a rising tennis star at 18, it will be her first time in the main draw. The young woman is experiencing a thunderous season: she won 22 games in a row at the start of the campaign-a Canadian record-and reached the third round in Roland-Garros.
“If our tournament was a few weeks later, it wouldn’t have needed a pass. She would have had her place thanks to her ranking, ”said Mr.me Tétreault.
Tennis Canada must still grant five pass. According to Mme Tétreault, the chances “are quite strong” that these are given exclusively to Canadian women. She herself a former professional player, the director of the OBN is in a position to understand “how important it is to have opportunities like this”.
“There is nothing like having these opportunities at home. In this context, often, we are able to cause a few surprises, to get big points that make us progress in the standings and which can have an impact on the rest of the career. »»
Finals on Thursday
This first ABN of the “redefined era” will begin on July 26 with a day of qualifying, while the main draw will sink on July 27. As the first 32 heads of series benefit from an exemption in the first round, they will only enter the scene on July 29 or 30.
Photo Olivier Jean, La Presse Archives
The American Jessica Pegula won the omnium national banking in Montreal in 2023.
Interesting fact: all the matches that will be played in the second week, from August 4 to 7, will be presented in the evening. The quarter -finals will take place over two days. The next day, on Wednesday, the semi-finals will follow. Surprisingly, the finals will therefore take place on Thursday evening.
To explain this decision, which diverges from what we see in tournaments all over the world, Valérie Tétreault explained that the Toronto, Montreal and Cincinnati tests should be organized over a maximum of three weeks. “We had to be creative,” said the director.
At the same time, she noted that the enthusiasm for evening sessions was notable; In other words, tickets leave like hot rolls.
“It is sure that in the evening, as we can see, there is like another energy. I think it comes to enhance our final. After that, I look at the habits of the people of Montreal; We are used to going to see the Montreal Canadiens play on a Thursday evening at 7 p.m. So this is not a problem. »»
Challenges and good news
As the OBN is preparing to welcome practically double the number of players it hosted in the past, the logistical challenges have been numerous. Two lands were missing in particular to respond to WTA standards; The OBN began a feasibility study in January to assess its options in this chapter. While waiting for it to be concluded in a year, he got along with the Claude-Robillard sports center, which will act as “secondary site”, where the players can train.
Valérie Tétreault and her team also had to find more volunteers than usual; There is still a number of them to reach the targeted figure of 1,600 volunteers, a record.
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
Valérie Tétreault
The new format also brings its share of good news. For example, players will benefit from a day off to recover between their matches. “It was a bit the intention of the 12 -day model pushed by ATP and WTA,” notes Mme Tétreault. It was that it was healthier for players and players so that when you arrive at the end of a season, there are fewer sores. »»
No more games and more days also mean more activities. The OBN made sure to set up a “enhanced” program for amateurs: IGA family weekend, Hockey-Balle match with Montreal victory players, soccer match with Montreal Roses players, thematic days …
Amateurs, moreover, promise to be numerous. The organization has already sold more than 40,000 more tickets than in 2023, the last time the players were in town.
“What is interesting is that 50 % of people who have bought tickets so far have never come to the OBN. You have to believe that the good news spreads. »»
Thursday, a little less than a month before the start of the event, Valérie Tétreault was already impatient at the idea of launching this “new era” of tennis in Montreal.
“More games, no more players, but above all more fun; I think that’s what awaits us. »»
And the roof? Where are we?
Photo Hugo-Sébastien Aubert, the press archives
The rain has made its own at the IGA stadium in recent years.
Tennis Canada obtained the help of Tourisme Montréal in order to launch, in January, a feasibility study for upgrading the IGA stadium, which includes the possibility of installing a retractable roof. The study, said Valérie Tétreault, should last approximately a year, which brings us to 2026. Subsequently, the Federation may “have a project to present” and start to “really talk about funding” with government representatives. The rain has made its own at the IGA stadium in recent years. Still recently, a Basketball match from the Montreal Alliance must have been interrupted. “Just being able to guarantee people who buy a ticket for the central court that the match will take place … It is sure that if we come from a little further and that we want to move to Montreal to see tennis, it takes this guarantee a little. »»
A step towards equality of scholarships
In 2023, Tennis Canada announced the start of his plan for wage parity for 2027. Last year, the scholarships given to the players were equivalent to 32 % of the scholarships given to men. This year, this proportion will increase to 56 %. This figure will be expected to increase to 79 % in 2026, then 100 % in 2027, as expected. At that time, scholarships should be around $ 10 million US dollars, which represents an increase of 350 % in four years.
