GATINEAU, July 23, 2017
All three Canadians in semi-final action on Saturday advanced to the finals in both the men and women’s draw in Gatineau. The tournament features a mixed draw, with the men competing in the $75,000 ATP Challenger event and the women competing in the $25,000 ITF Challenger event. The tournament will be held from July 17 to 23 at Parc de l’Île in Gatineau.
Peter Polansky from Thornhill was looking to reach his second final in consecutive years in Gatineau on Saturday, but he first had to move past the tournament’s first seed Malek Jaziri of Tunisia. After going down a set, the Canadian elevated his play and ran away with the second. In the decider, Polansky utilised his powerful forehand and his speed to take the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 after one hour and 48 minutes. With the full support of the crowd since the start of the week, the 29-year-old Canadian will attempt to defend his title on Sunday, lifting his third ATP Challenger trophy.
Polansky will face compatriot Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill in the men’s singles final on Sunday afternoon following the women’s final. The 18-year-old Shapovalov dominated in his semi-final match against US-American Alexander Sarkissian, taking control with an early break and never looking back. The Canadian would go on to break his opponent four times in the match, tallying 9 aces along the way. In a little over an hour, Shapovalov booked his ticket to the final with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. The #NextGenATP star vies for his second ATP Challenger title following his triumph in Drummundville earlier this season.
Earlier in the day, US-American duo of Bradley Klahn and Jackson Withrow were crowned doubles champions after their victory against Hans Hach Verdugo of Mexico and his partner Vincent Millot of France by a score of 6-2, 6-3. The final lasted 54 minutes.
Wozniak Advances To Women’s Final
Playing in the second women’s semi-final match of the day, Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak took on Priscilla Hon of Australia. The 29-year-old from Blainville jumped out to an early lead in the first set and converted on all three of her break points, while only being broken once. Wozniak was effective on her serve, despite totalling only one ace in the match. She began the second set in the same way that she finished the first, controlling the play with heavy baseline hitting. Wozniak need only a little over an hour to overcome her opponent 6-2, 6-2. In the final on Sunday, she will face Ellen Perez of Australia, who ousted the tournament’s seventh seed Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic of Germany by a score of 6-4, 6-4.
The top seeds in the doubles draw Hiroko Kuwata of Japan and Valeria Savinykh of Russia took home the title against their opponents Kimberly Birrel of Australia and Emily Webley-Smith of Great Britain, sealing a 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 win.
