By Canadian Press

Andreescu, tournament champion in 2019, among wild cards for National Bank Open

Jul 13, 2023 | 9:53 AM

MONTREAL — Three Canadians have been given the last wild-card entries into this year’s National Bank Open women’s tennis tournament, including 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu.

Leylah Fernandez and Rebecca Marino were the other Canadians given a wild-card spot at the event, which runs Aug. 4-13 in Montreal. Former world No. 1s Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki were given the other two wild-card berths earlier.

Andreescu, from Mississauga, Ont., won the 2019 event in Toronto when opponent Serena Williams retired in the final with an injury.

The two would meet again later that summer in the U.S. Open final, with Andreescu winning 6-3, 7-5 to become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title.

None of the three Canadians have a high enough world ranking to automatically qualify for this year’s WTA 1000 event. Andreescu is the highest-ranked Canadian at No. 50, followed by Vancouver’s Marino (83) and Fernandez of Laval, Que. (95).

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Tennis Canada said in a release that 41 of the top 44 players on the WTA Tour have committed to the National Bank Open, including world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and No. 3 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

Defending champion Simona Halep of Romania will not be competing as she serves a doping suspension.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2023.

The Canadian Press