Tennis Canada – Bruno Agostinelli Futures to take place September 17-25 at White Oaks

Toronto, September 12, 2016 – Tennis Canada announced Monday the launch of the Bruno Agostinelli Futures, a new ITF Pro Circuit tournament to be held at White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake from September 17-25. The event is being named in honour of Niagara Falls’ own Agostinelli Jr., a former tennis coach and player.

Agostinelli Jr. was a national coach for U14 players at Tennis Canada’s national junior training program in Toronto. He turned to coaching after graduating from university, where he was an All-American at the University of Kentucky. Once ranked as high as No. 2 in the NCAA, Agostinelli Jr. also played for Canada in Davis Cup, capturing the fifth and deciding rubber for the team against Peru in 2009. He was inducted into the Niagara Falls Sports Wall of Fame in January of this year. He passed away at the age of 28 in March.  

“Bruno made such an impactful difference to so many lives and was a very special and important member of our Canadian tennis family,” said Hatem McDadi, senior vice-president of tennis development, Tennis Canada. “We are honoured to be naming this tournament in recognition of Bruno’s legacy in the sport, and this is just one of many ways we will remember him on an annual basis. Bruno would be proud and happy to know that this tournament will be providing young Canadians another opportunity to compete in their own country and in his hometown.”

Offering $25,000 in total prize money, the tournament will feature players from around the world. It will also offer Canadians with a valuable chance to earn ranking points on home soil as they look to move up the pro tennis ranks.

Among the Canadians set to participate in the inaugural event are 2012 junior world No. 1 Filip Peliwo, former University of North Carolina standout Brayden Schnur, and 12-time junior national champion Alejandro Tabilo.

“Bruno grew up in Niagara and began his tennis career training here at White Oaks,” said tournament director Giovanni Rodriguez. “His passion for tennis has personally touched so many lives at the club and our desire was to find a way to honour his memory. Naming this tournament after him in partnership with Tennis Canada is the perfect opportunity to do exactly that. This event will bring talented young tennis players from around the world to the Niagara region to compete, which is something we know Bruno would have loved to see. White Oaks is absolutely honoured to be hosting the Bruno Agostinelli Futures and excited to be supporting the growth of tennis in Niagara.”

The Bruno Agostinelli Futures will conclude the Canadian men’s pro circuit for the 2016 season. The country will have hosted nine Futures tournaments this year – Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Richmond, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Calgary, two in Toronto at Donalda Club and Aviva Centre, and Niagara. The $25,000 Tevlin Futures is taking place this week at Aviva Centre. Canadians have won five of the seven events held so far: Peter Polansky (Richmond, Kelowna) Philip Bester (Saskatoon), Brayden Schnur (Calgary), and Frank Dancevic (Toronto Donalda).

A two-day qualifying event will take place September 17-18 with main draw play beginning on September 19. The first-ever Bruno Agostinelli Futures champion will be crowned at White Oaks on September 25.

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association with a mission to lead the growth of tennis in Canada and a vision to become a world-leading tennis nation. We value teamwork, passion, integrity, innovation and excellence. Tennis Canada owns and operates the premier Rogers Cup presented by National Bank WTA and ATP World Tour events, 10 professional ITF-sanctioned events and financially supports 12 other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates national junior training centres/programs in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada, please visit our website at www.tenniscanada.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contacts (Toronto):
Sarah Grossman, National Manager, Communications and Media Relations, Professional Tennis
       416-650-7922, or sgrossman@tenniscanada.com
Nicole Watts, Manager, Communications
       416-665-9777 ext. 4092, or nwatts@tenniscanada.com

Media Contacts (Montréal):
Valerie Tetreault, Regional Manager, Communications and Media Relations
         514-273-1515 ext. 6259, vtetreault@tenniscanada.com
Justine Poirier, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations
         514-273-1515 ext. 6291, jpoirier@tenniscanada.com