Tennis Canada – Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Garbiñe Muguruza highlight player fields in Toronto and Montreal

June 15, 2016 – The very best tennis players in the world are heading to Canada for the 2016 Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, as Tennis Canada announced Wednesday the official player acceptance lists for the world-class ATP World Tour and WTA events in Toronto and Montreal. This year, 60 of the Top 65 players will be hitting Canadian courts. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the current holder of all four Grand Slams, headlines the entry list in Toronto where all of the Top 43 men’s players will be present. In Montreal, No. 1 Serena Williams will attempt to win her fourth Rogers Cup crown in a field that features 30 of the Top 35 players and nine of the Top 10.

“We are very much looking forward to having the best men in the world return to Rogers Cup once more,” said Karl Hale, Rogers Cup Toronto tournament director. “We have so many new and exciting elements planned for the tournament this year, but the backbone of our success is always the incredible player field that comes back to our city every single year. We know our fans are in for an unforgettable event this summer.”  

“We have an excellent player field this year, showing that Rogers Cup continues to be an important stop on the tour for the top women in the world,” said Eugene Lapierre, Rogers Cup Montreal tournament director. “We are one of the biggest women’s events across the globe, and are always are looking to improve. This year is no exception, and we know these incredible athletes will take care of the on-court aspect and put on a fantastic show for our fans.”

Among the many other top athletes travelling to Canada this July are defending champions Andy Murray and Belinda Bencic, who will try and claim the titles once more. Other past winners at the tournament making a return are Roger Federer (2004, 2006), Rafael Nadal (2005, 2008, 2013), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2014), Agnieszka Radwanska (2014), Petra Kvitova (2012), and Caroline Wozniacki (2010). Recent Roland Garros champion and world No. 2 Garbiñe Muguruza will be trying to win her first Rogers Cup crown, as will two-time Slam winners Victoria Azarenka and Stan Wawrinka, and former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori.

Two Canadians have also earned their place in the main draw – Milos Raonic in Toronto and Eugenie Bouchard in Montreal. Raonic became the first Canadian to make the Rogers Cup final since 1958 when he finished runner-up in 2013, while Bouchard will be looking to advance past the second round for the first time. World No. 46 Vasek Pospisil, a former semifinalist, will also be competing in Toronto as the recipient of a wild card.

The complete entry lists can be viewed here (Toronto) and here (Montreal). The 56-player fields for both tournaments will be completed at a later date with the addition of wild cards and qualifiers.

Several off-court activities will enhance the action provided by the players on court. Both tournament sites feature a variety of dining options, shopping, games, performances, and promotions, offering a festival-like atmosphere aimed at getting fans closer to the fun and excitement of attending a world-class event. New on-site and digital enhancements for 2016 will be announced at a later date.

Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will welcome the best players of the ATP World Tour from July 23-31 at Aviva Centre on the York University campus in Toronto and the top players of the WTA from July 22-31 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit rogerscup.com.

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About Rogers Cup presented by National Bank
Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is a Tennis Canada owned and operated world-class tournament celebrating its 136th anniversary of the men’s event from July 23-31 at Aviva Centre in Toronto and its 124th anniversary of the women’s event from July 22-31 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. As an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, Premier 5 WTA tournament and Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series event, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will showcase the world’s best players. Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is the third-oldest title in tennis, behind only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. For more information and tickets visit www.rogerscup.com.

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 and Vancouver. 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                   sgrossman@tenniscanada.com, 416-650-7922
Nicole Watts, Manager, Communications
            nwatts@tenniscanada.com, 416-665-9777 x4092

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