Carol Zhao, a 31-year-old tennis player from Richmond Hill, Ont., has been granted a main-draw wild card for the upcoming National Bank Open. This tournament will mark her final appearance at the event, as she previously announced that the 2026 season would be her last on the WTA Tour.
Tennis Canada confirmed the wild card on Sunday, also announcing that fellow Richmond Hill native Ariana Arseneault would receive a women’s singles wild card. The tournament is scheduled to begin next Saturday at Sobeys Stadium.
Wild Card Recipients and Tournament Details
Zhao and Arseneault join a group of other notable players who have also received main-draw wild cards. This list includes seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, along with Canadians Bianca Andreescu, Kayla Cross, Katherine Sebov, Cadence Brace, and Rebecca Marino.
Noelle van Lottum, head of women’s tennis at Tennis Canada, expressed enthusiasm for the selections. She noted that Arseneault’s game is developing positively, positioning her for high-level competition. Regarding Zhao, van Lottum highlighted her respected presence in Canadian tennis over many years and expressed delight in offering her a final opportunity to compete at her home tournament.
The women’s draw of the National Bank Open is set to run from August 1-13. Kayla Cross, a 21-year-old from London, secured her wild card after a semifinal victory over American Elizabeth Mandlik at the Granby National Bank Championships. Cross went on to win that tournament in straight sets against Japan’s Sara Saito. The first two wild card spots for the event were previously awarded to Venus Williams and Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 National Bank Open and U.S. Open champion.
In addition to the singles wild cards, Tennis Canada also allocated doubles wild cards. These were given to the teams of Andreescu and Cross, and sisters Leylah and Bianca Fernandez from Laval, Que.
Other Canadian Tennis News
While some Canadian players are preparing for the upcoming tournament, Victoria Mboko, who won last year’s National Bank Open title in Montreal, will not be participating in this year’s event due to a knee injury.
Beyond the tennis courts, other sports news includes London Knights prospect Cooper McAslan being invited to Hockey Canada’s 27-player national men’s summer under-18 team training camp roster. The 17-year-old from Bowmanville recorded eight goals and 37 points in 38 games for the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s London Nationals last season. He also contributed two assists in four games with the Knights and played in four of the club’s five playoff games against Sault Ste. Marie. The under-18 team camp opens Monday in Edmonton.
The undefeated London Jr. Mustangs are scheduled to face the Cumberland Panthers in the Ontario Summer Football League U16 AAA provincial final on Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium. The Jr. Mustangs finished their regular season with a 7-0 record and secured playoff victories against the Oakville Titans (28-7) and the Brampton Bulldogs (42-12). The U14 AA Jr. Mustangs will also compete in their title game, the Dan Grossi Cup, against the Peterborough Warriors on Friday at 8 p.m.
In baseball, the London Majors have added outfielder Jordan Lewis of Brampton and right-handed pitcher Daniel Orfaly of British Columbia to their roster. Lewis, who is 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, hit .340 with 35 runs batted in and 44 stolen bases in 45 games this season at the University of Fort Lauderdale. Orfaly, a six-foot, 180-pounder, had a 15-7 record with a 4.91 earned-run average over four seasons with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The Majors are set to play a key game against the Barrie Baycats on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Labatt Park.
The Majors will also play in Brantford on Saturday at 2 p.m. before returning home to face Hamilton on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
Source: theglobeandmail.com
