Monday Digest: Marino Wins First Grass Title Ahead of Wimbledon

Rebecca Marino picked the right time to seek out her greatest stage on grass with qualifying for Wimbledon happening this week.  

The Canadian veteran scored her first title on grass final week and can now look to hold that momentum right down to the All England Membership. 

Right here’s what it is advisable know. 

Below the Radar: Marino Coming In Sizzling 

Rebecca Marino will arrive on the All England Membership filled with confidence this week after selecting up her first profession title on grass on the ITF W100 occasion in Ilkley, United Kingdom. 

The massive-serving Canadian battled by the draw, opening with a three-set upset of the fourth seed McCartney Kessler, taking down No. 5 seed Daria Snigur within the quarter-finals, after which capping it off with back-to-back three-setters, together with a comeback win within the ultimate over Jessika Ponchet. 

Earlier this season, Marino gained the largest title of her profession on the W100 occasion in Irapuato, Mexico. She has now gained two titles at that stage in the identical season. Total, the Canadian has 15 ITF singles titles to her identify. 

Marina Stakusic additionally competed in Ilkley and reached the quarter-finals. 

Learn additionally: The Wonders of Grass-Courtroom Tennis

Cadence Brace was additionally a winner on the ITF Tour final week, claiming the primary title of her profession on the W35 occasion in Wichita, Kansas. 

Seeded eighth, Brace was dialled in and didn’t drop a set on her strategy to the ultimate. There she upset prime seed Victoria Hu in three units to say her first trophy on the ITF circuit. 

Two Canadians who spent their faculty years enjoying within the NCAA, Cleeve Harper and Jessica Alsola, have been making a clean transition to the professional circuit, each reaching ITF doubles finals final week. 

The ITF Wheelchair Circuit made a cease in Boucherville, Quebec final week for the Sani Sport Worldwide Open. 

Learn additionally: Andreescu Reaches First Remaining Since 2022, Fernandez Set for Grass

Thomas Venos reached each the lads’s singles and doubles finals, successful the latter with American Conner Stroud over fellow Canadian Barry Henderson and his Spanish companion Francesc Tur. 

With the win, Venos is as much as 4 ITF doubles titles in 2024. He misplaced to his doubles companion within the singles ultimate. 

Natalia Lanucha gained the ladies’s singles occasion, which took the type of a spherical robin, successful all three of her matches and 4 out of 5 units (she acquired one walkover). 

Overseas, Anne-Marie Dolinar reached the doubles ultimate at an ITF Wheelchair occasion in Alghero, Italy, however was defeated.  

In Case You Missed It: Fernandez Makes 2024 Grass Debut 

Leylah Annie Fernandez was the final of the Canadians contained in the High 200 to get her 2024 grass season underway. She did so final week on the WTA 250 occasion in Birmingham the place she reached the quarter-finals.  

After wins over Sara Sorribes Tormo and Viktorija Golubic, she was shocked within the final eight by eventual runner-up Ajla Tomljanovic.  

Milos Raonic competed final week on the Queen’s Membership, making historical past in spherical one with a 47-ace efficiency in opposition to Cameron Norrie, essentially the most aces ever in a best-of-three match. He was crushed within the second spherical by fourth seed Taylor Fritz.  

What to Watch: 5 Canadians in Qualies on the AELTC 

The primary draw for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships shall be introduced on Friday morning, however within the meantime, 5 Canadians shall be seeking to get their names onto the draw board at the third main of the season. 

Gabriel Diallo, who certified for his first Grand Slam occasion final month at Roland-Garros, and Alexis Galarneau have already taken step one in direction of making their important draw debuts on the All England Membership. Each gained their opening qualifying matches in three units on Monday.  

Each will face seeds within the second spherical. Diallo will face off in opposition to No. 8 Daniel Galan, whereas Galarneau takes on former world No. 7 Richard Gasquet, seeded twentieth in qualifying. 

On the ladies’s aspect, Rebecca Marino shall be hoping to convey the momentum down from Ilkley to London as she leads the Canadian girls’s contingent. Her first qualifying match shall be a rematch of her first-rounder eventually week’s ITF occasion in opposition to McCartney Kessler.  

Marino is in the identical qualifying part as No. 3 seed Renata Zarazua, a possible opponent within the ultimate spherical of qualifying. 

Learn additionally: A New British Hope at Wimbledon

Carol Zhao will open her qualifying marketing campaign in opposition to Anastasia Tikhonova and will play No. 9 seed Anna Bondar within the second spherical. 

Marina Stakusic is the lone Canadian girl to have already gained her first-round match, dropping only a recreation in opposition to Carole Monnet. The teen will face sixteenth seed Chloe Paquet in spherical two. 

On the principle tour this week, Leylah Annie Fernandez induced an upset on day one on the WTA 250 occasion in Eastbourne, shocking former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in three units. 

Subsequent up for the Canadian is Ashlyn Kruger, with both Sofia Kenin or Harriet Dart awaiting within the quarter-finals. Madison Keys is her projected semifinal opponent, with world No. 5 Jessica Pegula a potential finals opponent. 

Learn additionally: Shaw Builds Momentum with Paralympics in Sight

Krejcikova did get her revenge on Fernandez within the doubles, successful their first-round conflict in straight units.

Gabriela Dabrowski can also be again at it in Eastbourne. She and Erin Routliffe are the highest seeds and already gained their opening match over Miriam Kolodziejova and Anna Siskova in straight units. Subsequent up shall be Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu within the quarter-finals. 

Bianca Andreescu was competing in Unhealthy Homburg however misplaced within the first spherical to Anna Blinkova. 

You’ll be able to observe the Canadians in motion each week right here.