Form and injury concerns have largely weighed on Canada’s talented crop in 2023, but a pair of Montrealers has revived hopes of better things to come next season, beginning with the Australian summer.
What’s more, with Canada’s triumph at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, that squad joined the Canadian Davis Cup team as the reigning champion in both team competitions.
Leylah Fernandez
While lacking the size and firepower of her contemporaries, 5ft 6in Leylah Fernandez makes up for it in court craft, nous and passion – all on display in her unforgettable week leading Canada to the Billie Jean King Cup title in Seville last week.
The 21-year-old has generally enjoyed more consistent success in doubles in 2023, having reached the final at Miami and Roland Garros with Taylor Townsend, but in October she practically halved her ranking – jumping from world No.60 to 35th – following her first title in 19 months in Hong Kong then a semifinal run in Nanchang.
This followed her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal at Guadalajara in September.
It has not been an easy journey attempting to capitalise on her breakout run to a maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open in 2021. In that fortnight, she became only the third woman in the Open Era to beat three top-five seeds at the US Open – defending champion Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka – before Emma Raducanu ended her run.
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Felix Auger-Aliassime
Former world No.6 Felix Auger-Aliassime turned a corner last month, following a season of persistent struggles.
The 23-year-old had reached just one semifinal in 2023, at Doha in February, and arrived in Basel with a 17-18 mark for the year before he denied Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz back-to-back to retain a title for the first time.
The first Canadian man to defend a tour-level title since Milos Raonic 11 years ago, it came as a timely confidence boost. He will enter Australian Open 2024 aiming to snap a four-match losing streak at the majors.
In 2022, Auger-Aliassime overcame a 0-8 hoodoo in tour finals in Rotterdam and later added three titles in as many weeks in Florence, Antwerp and Basel. He also book-ended his season with success alongside Denis Shapovalov, winning the ATP Cup and Davis Cup for Canada.
Together with Fernandez, he will represent Team Canada at the 2024 United Cup in Sydney.
Bianca Andreescu
Canada’s first and to date only Grand Slam singles champion, Bianca Andreescu, has struggled to make serious inroads in the aftermath of her 2019 triumph over Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows.
The now 23-year-old has grappled with injuries – including knee and foot – but after a four-month mental health break last year, the former world No.4 managed a brief return to the top 30 following a fourth-round run in Miami, where she beat Raducanu, Maria Sakkari and Sofia Kenin in succession.
Another injury – this time a stress fracture in her back – has kept her off court since August. She is currently ranked No.92.
Denis Shapovalov
Blessed with some of the most explosive shot-making in the business, Shapovalov has endured a difficult 2023, winning only half his 26 matches.
Having not played since Wimbledon due to an ongoing knee injury, the former Canadian No.1 called time on his season when he withdrew from November’s Paris Masters event.
It meant he would also miss Canada’s attempt to defend the Davis Cup crown he helped secure last season.
The 24-year-old lefty has climbed as high as world No.10 and reached a Wimbledon semifinal in 2021 before his first Australian Open quarterfinal last year, which came on the heels of Canada’s season-opening ATP Cup triumph.