Exciting news is for Calgary tennis enthusiasts as the prestigious 2023 Calgary National Bank Challenger announces three of Canada’s Davis Cup champions returns to the courts! From November 5 to 12, 2023, the Calgary National Bank Challenger will take over the sports world as the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre in Calgary transforms into a tennis haven. Tournament Director and CEO of the OSTEN & VICTOR Tennis Centre, Danny Da Costa, revealed that three incredible players of Canada’s Davis Cup will be competing in this year’s Challenger.
Photo courtesy of Tennis Canada
Canadian Tennis Star and Canada’s Davis Cup team member, Vasek Pospisil will return to the Calgary National Bank Challenger for the 3rd consecutive event. Pospisil, has been ranked as high as Number 25 in the world in Singles and Number 4 in Doubles. He was named Postmedia’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2019 and is currently ranked No. 287 in the world on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. Pospisil has wins over Top 20 players Danill Medvedev, Andy Murray, Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Felix Auger-Alaissime and Richard Gasquet. He has also been in the finals of three ATP Tour events, including two ATP Tour 250 events in 2020 (Sofia & Montpellier) and an ATP Tour 500 event in Washington in 2014. Pospisil has also captured seven doubles titles on the ATP World Tour.
Also returning to the event is 2022 Calgary National Bank Challenger Singles Semi-Finalist Gabriel Diallo of Montreal. Diallo, 22, is a rising star on the ATP World Tour. Currently ranked No. 130 in the world. Diallo recently starred for Canada at the Davis Cup event in September 2023, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti (world #18). Earlier this year, Diallo defeated Daniel Evans (world #21) in the opening round of the National Bank Open. Last week he defeated Former World #3 and 2020 US Open Champion Dominic Thiem enroute to winning his 2nd ATP Challenger Title at the Bratislava Challenger.
The third member of Canada’s Davis Cup team to participate in Calgary will be Alexis Galarneau, 24, of Montreal. Galarneau will compete in his 4th Calgary National Bank Challenger. Currently ranked No.186 in the world, Galarneau played a starring role for Canada at the recent Davis Cup Finals Group Event in September. Galarneau was 5-0 during the event and defeated World #38 Lorenzo Sonego of Italy in their opening tie. Galarneau recently reached the finals of the Columbus Challenger and earlier this year he won Granby Challenger for his first Challenger title of his career.
The Canadian contingent at the Calgary National Bank Challenger is not the only attraction. International tennis luminaries are also set to dazzle the courts! Sabine Lisicki of Germany, a former World No. 12 and Wimbledon Singles Finalist; Urszula Radwanska of Poland, a former Top 30 player; and Benoit Paire of France, a former World No. 18, are the beginnings of an incredible the roster of participating players. All players are to be officially unveiled on October 23rd at 10:30 am from the Core Shopping Centre in downtown Calgary.
“We are excited to welcome three of Canada’s top male players to the Calgary National Bank Challenger. Pospisil, Diallo, and Galarneau are all world-class players who have played a leading role in Canada’s Davis Cup winning team in 2022,” said Danny Da Costa, Tournament Director.
In addition to the star-studded player lineup, the Calgary National Bank Challenger offers an incredible opportunity for fans to witness world-class tennis action. Tickets for The Challenger are available for as low as $30.00 per day! For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit Showpass.com.
The Calgary National Bank Challenger has quickly emerged as one of Canada’s premier sporting events. It showcases some of the best emerging and established tennis talents. Don’t miss the chance to explore the world of tennis at its finest, right here in Calgary. For more information about the OSTEN & VICTOR Tennis Centre, please visit http://www.albertatenniscentre.ca/.
The 2023 Calgary National Bank Challenger promises to be a tennis spectacle like no other! We look forward to welcoming you to this remarkable event. Join us on social media @yycnbchallenger to get updates and enjoy an electrifying week of tennis action!
