
Sinner, Alcaraz headline entry list for National Bank Open in Toronto
The world No. 1 and No. 2 will hit the court at Sobeys Stadium for the ATP Masters 1000 event from July 27 to Aug. 7, Tennis Canada announced Wednesday.
The annual Canadian tennis tournament is expanding to a 12-day format with a 96-player main draw for the first time.
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Montreal's Gabriel Diallo also feature on the entry list, which includes the ATP's top 73 players.
Five main-draw wild cards will also be announced in the coming weeks.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
The entry list for the women's tournament in Montreal will be announced Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Winnipeg Free Press
19 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver Whitecaps juggle lineup ahead of battle with Sporting Kansas City
VANCOUVER – Another major injury is forcing the Vancouver Whitecaps to once again rotate their lineup as the club tries to climb back atop the standings. The 'Caps (12-5-6) announced Tuesday that stalwart centre back Ranko Veselinovic will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. 'It's, of course, horrible for Ranko. I feel, we all feel, with him and for him, because getting an ACL rupture is very bad,' said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen. 'Ranko is doing OK. But of course, we have to figure out what to do without him, because he's been also a key part of the season so far.' The injury means Sorensen will field a different defensive corps when Vancouver hosts Sporting Kansas City (6-11-6) on Saturday. The 'Caps head into the game sitting second in Major League Soccer's Western Conference standings, just one point behind San Diego FC — a club they battled to a 1-1 draw last week. Lineup changes have become routine for Vancouver's first-year bench boss as the Whitecaps weather a string of long-term injuries. Attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld has been sidelined with a knee injury since March 8. Canadian defender Sam Adekugbe saw his season cut short when he tore his Achilles tendon playing for the national team last month, and midfielder Ali Ahmed has been sidelined since spraining his ankle while playing for Canada. Several of Vancouver's players have also missed league games while competing for their national squads. A deep player pool has helped fill the holes, Sorensen said. 'We have players who know what to do when they step on the pitch,' he said. 'And I think that's the most important thing, that we work with them in the daily work, and give them the best options to do well when they play on the pitch by having teammates around them in a good structure who can help out.' Four crucial pieces are expected to return to the 'Caps lineup for Saturday's game after representing the club at MLS all-star festivities in Austin this week. Striker Brian White, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, defender Tristan Blackmon and goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka all returned to training with their teammates on Thursday. Getting back into the swing of team play can be a challenge, White said. 'I think it's a bit difficult. Obviously, you go from playing games a lot with guys you're familiar with to really not playing a whole lot, to come back, and then you find that rhythm again,' he said. 'I think it takes a little bit of time, but it's not like learning how to ride a bike again, you know? You try to pick up where you left off.' The Whitecaps sent a league-high four players to the all-star game, and the players had an impact, with White scoring to lift the MLS all stars to a win over their Liga MX compatriots. Takaoka also hit the crossbar in a skills competition to secure an MLS win. There's a high standard at an all-star event, Blackmon said, and the players all want to bring that mindset back to Vancouver — starting with a strong outing against SKC on Saturday. 'Obviously, you're playing with, arguably, the best in the league this year so far. So you try to come back and show that you have that quality,' he said. 'We had four guys there, that was incredible. But how can we all come back here and try to help as much as possible, keep that same level and increase it going into this final stretch?' SPORTING KANSAS CITY (6-11-6) AT VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (12-5-6) Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Saturday, B.C. Place HISTORY BOOKS: Sporting holds a 12-8-5 edge in all-time matchups between the two clubs, but the 'Caps won both meetings last season by a 2-1 margin. HOME SWEET HOME: The Whitecaps have played their last five league games on the road and will close out the regular-season campaign with seven of their next 11 matchups at B.C. Place. The team is 6-2-2 on home turf this year. FULL SLATE: Saturday will mark Vancouver's 35th game this year across all competitions, including league play, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Canadian Championship. The MLS regular-season campaign consists of 34 matchups. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.


Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Three seeded Canadians placed in separate quadrants at men's National Bank Open draw
TORONTO – The path for a homegrown tennis player to win the men's Canadian Open title for the first time in the Open Era is set. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov and Gabriel Diallo were each placed in separate quadrants as the National Bank Open draw took place at Sobeys Stadium on Friday in Toronto. All three receive byes to the second round as part of the revamped tournament format, which will feature 96 players and take place over 12 days for the first time. The 2025 tournament marks the first time in history that three Canadian men will be seeded. Montreal's Auger-Aliassime holds the highest seed at No. 21, with Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., 22nd and Montreal's Diallo 27th. Germany's Alexander Zverev is the top seed in the tournament, which begins Sunday and runs through Aug. 7. Canada's Vasek Pospisil, the Vernon, B.C., native who announced he would retire after the tournament, will face a qualifier in his first-round match and potentially meet eighth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway in the second round. A raft of withdrawals affected the bracket in the leadup to the tournament, with the likes of World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 6 Novak Djokovic dropping out. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. No Canadian man has ever won the National Bank Open singles title since the Open Era began in 1968. Robert Bédard, who won his third title in 1958, is the last to accomplish the feat. Bianca Andreescu's 2019 championship marked the first for a Canadian woman since Faye Urban in 1969. Gabriela Dabrowski remains the last Canadian to win on home soil, having emerged victorious in women's doubles alongside Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani in women's doubles in 2021. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.


Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
Despite Trump-FIFA spat, slim chance Edmonton gets back into World Cup
Article content Article content More than a decade ago, the Canadian Soccer Association, now simply known as Canada Soccer, announced its intention to host the 2026 World Cup. And, Canadian officials were adamant about going alone and competing against potential bids from the United States and Canada. Article content 'It's a single bid. At this moment,' said Peter Montopoli, who was the Canadian Soccer Association's general secretary at the time. 'It's Canada. The Canadian Soccer Association that will be bidding and we will continue along that line.' Article content But something changed before the official bid books could be sent off to FIFA's headquarters in Switzerland. The governing body announced that it would swell the number of teams in the 2026 World Cup to 48, up from 36. And Canada simply didn't have enough international-class stadiums to host a 48-team tournament. So, the Canadians went with the 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' approach, and The United Bid was born. Article content Article content Ironically, when the bid was presented in Switzerland, Canadian soccer officials pushed forward wunderkind Edmonton's Alphonso Davies as its poster boy. And when he spoke, he didn't speak of a dream to play a World Cup game in Toronto or Vancouver. He talked about playing a World Cup match at Commonwealth Stadium. Article content 'When I was five years old, a country called Canada welcomed us in, and the boys on the football team made me feel at home,' Davies told the FIFA congress in Moscow in 2018, just hours before the vote on hosting duties for the 2026 World Cup were held. 'Today, I (am) 17 years old and I play for the men's national team and I'm a proud Canadian citizen. And my dream is to someday compete in the World Cup, maybe even in my hometown of Edmonton.' Article content In 2022, when Edmonton wasn't selected, Davies had this to say: 'It's a little bit disappointing, but, at the end of the day, I'm just grateful we can be in the running… It's a bummer, but we know we have a job to do.' Article content