[MONTREAL, QC] April 19, 2024 – This morning, at Montreal’s IGA Stadium, Tennis Canada officially launched the Billie Jean King Cup Champions Tour, a journey that will see the renowned trophy from the international team competition make stops in all 10 provinces across the country.

Team Canada, comprised of Leylah Annie Fernandez (Laval, QC), Gabriela Dabrowski (Ottawa, ON), Rebecca Marino (Vancouver, BC), Marina Stakusic (Mississauga, ON), and Eugenie Bouchard (Montreal, QC), made history last November by winning its maiden Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge title after defeating Italy in the 2023 Finals held in Seville, Spain. Canada became the 13th nation to be crowned champions of the Billie Jean King Cup, which was founded in 1963.

“As we had the opportunity to embark on a first tour last year to commemorate our maiden men’s title at the Davis Cup, we are thrilled to do so again this year, this time to celebrate our women’s team. The rise of Canadian women’s tennis is the result of the efforts of countless individuals, past and present. From staff directly involved on the court with our athletes to individual organizations supporting the development of our sport, many people have played a role in our success, and it was essential for us to provide everyone with the opportunity to celebrate our historic victory at the Billie Jean King Cup,” shared Gavin Ziv, CEO of Tennis Canada.

“Words cannot describe the feeling of pride our team experienced when we lifted the trophy in November. This moment marked history, and we are very excited to celebrate this success with all Canadians. Above all, this title is an unprecedented collective achievement, and we look forward to reliving this special event with as many people as possible as the trophy travels across the country,” Heidi El Tabakh, Team Canada Captain for the Billie Jean King Cup.

Canada’s victory at the Billie Jean King Cup has been years in the making, resulting from the hard work of so many pioneers who broke barriers to make Canadian women’s tennis what it is today. As such, the tour will aim to celebrate the past, present, and future of the sport, highlighting not only some of the individuals who have enabled our female athletes to reach the highest levels of global tennis, but also how this success will create more opportunities for future generations.

Continue reading on the Tennis Canada virtual media centre.

Media Contact:

Patrick Steski
Coordinator, Communications
psteski@tenniscanada.com
+1 (613) 818-6237