It’s on! Saturday marks the official kick-off of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montréal.
Yesterday was the official draw at Le Cathcart, and Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz were on hand to share their first impressions and excitement about playing here. Now that we know who’ll be going head-to-head in the early rounds, see if you can predict the tournament’s outcome by playing the Tennis Canada Bracket Challenge.
Got your Saturday morning cup of coffee? Here’s what’s in store at IGA Stadium today.
Six Canadians in the qualifying rounds
Led by Marcos Giron of the US and Fabio Fognini of Italy, the qualifying rounds of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers get underway at 11 a.m.
Six Canadians will be competing for one of the seven spots available in the main draw. To move on, they’ll have to win two matches: one on Saturday and another on Sunday.
In his opening match, Steven Diez will face Alexei Popyrin (13) of Australia. Wild card Jaden Weekes and Daniel Altmaier (10) of Germany will battle it out, and Kelsey Stevenson is pitted against none other than Fognini.
Gabriel Diallo will try to overpower James Duckworth (4) of Australia, while Juan Carlos Aguilar clashes with Arthur Rinderknech (6) of France.
Finally, Liam Draxl will fight Taro Daniel (14) of Japan for supremacy.
All the seeds in the qualifying tournament—who also happen to be members of the ATP Top 100—will be in action today. Admission is free.
Meet your faves
Off the courts, the IGA Family Weekend continues with free access to IGA Stadium, and it’s not just the players who’ll be busy! At 11 a.m., enjoy a live performance by Louise Lapierre Danse on the Loto-Québec stage or hit a few balls and get a few pointers from certified Tennis Montréal coaches on Court 2.
At noon, get your flow on at an outdoor yoga session on the Loto-Québec stage and then stick around to have your gear signed by ATP pros at the autograph tables at 1 p.m.
Have you ever seen professional athletes face-off in a ball hockey game? Don’t miss this golden opportunity to watch Jonathan Huberdeau (Calgary Flames), Jonathan Drouin and Nick Suzuki (Montréal Canadiens), Mélodie Daoust (Team Canada), Zachary L’Heureux and their hockey player teammates take on the tennis stars. Which team will win? It’s anyone’s guess!
While you’re in between activities, browse the boutiques, have a bite to eat in the picnic area, catch some rays in the relaxation space and enter to win one of the many prizes up for grabs!
Access to IGA Stadium is free all day.
