MONTREAL, May 13, 2021 (Tennis Canada Press Release)
Three months away from the 2021 edition of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, Tennis Canada would like to provide an update regarding the status of the tournaments. The WTA 1000 event is scheduled to take place in Montreal, August 7-15, while the ATP Tour Masters 1000 event is scheduled to take place in Toronto, August 7-15.
Tennis Canada has held productive dialogue with all levels of government in Canada, as well as the ATP and WTA Tours, regarding their health guidelines. We will implement strict protocols for all involved in our tournaments to ensure everyone’s safety. At this point, our priority is to host the 2021 National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto and Montreal in August, and we are hopeful the improving vaccination situation in Canada will bode well for our tournaments.
That being said, as the National Bank Open has historically accounted for 90% of the revenue Tennis Canada successfully invests in the development of the sport each year, it is critical that we host our 2021 tournaments. Therefore, our team is doing its due diligence to ensure all options are being considered to give us the best possible chance of staging successful events this year, including the possibility of finding an alternative site to host our tournaments in the United States, should we exhaust our options in Canada.
“We remain confident there are still multiple options for our tournaments to be held in Montreal and Toronto this August, such as in broadcast-only or limited-fan models, both of which have already been planned for in detail,” stated Eugène Lapierre, Tournament Director of the Montreal National Bank Open. “We continue to keep our key corporate partners, including National Bank and Rogers Communications, updated regarding the various scenarios and they remain supportive. Tennis Canada has also held preliminary conversations with the USTA to discuss what options might be available as an alternative in the United States. However, it is important to understand this would be considered only after we have exhausted our options in Canada.”
“We are hopeful the improving vaccination situation in Canada is a positive sign for this year’s National Bank Open presented by Rogers events, and as such we continue to focus and work on hosting our tournaments in Toronto and Montreal in August,” stated Gavin Ziv, Managing Director of the Toronto National Bank Open. “We must remain patient and flexible as a final decision regarding the National Bank Open will not be made until a date closer to the tournaments. We continue to plan for all scenarios with the health and safety of players, fans, staff and the general public being our top priority.”
