For those who aren’t familiar with Bruny Surin’s longstanding bond with tennis might be surprised just how deep the connection is.
The Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and Canadian track and field legend found a second sport passion close to four decades ago thanks to tennis. He considers himself an avid fan and his wife, Bianelle, is a true diehard connoisseur. It’s a love they passed on to their two daughters, Kimberly-Ann and Katherine. Both played tennis at a high level through their teenage years. Kiimberly-Ann reached a career-high ITF junior ranking of no. 159 in 2012 and was a member of Tennis Canada’s National Tennis Centre for two seasons.
Surin knows firsthand the importance of financial support to foster a budding tennis career and that’s why he enthusiastically accepted to match Giving Tuesday donations this year.
“It’s important for me to give to tennis in Canada,” Surin said. “I saw the difference when my daughter was able to benefit from Tennis Canada's support, so that's why it's completely natural for me to give back. Plus, I've been following tennis for at least 35-40 years—I'm a real fan. So, it's only natural that I support this cause.”
Surin credits tennis with bringing his family closer. They travelled together to tournaments which meant that Bruny and Bianelle could be there for their daughters during the good times and the bad and provide them with the structure they needed to succeed.
Like many of his fellow Canadians, the tennis fan in Surin was enthralled by Victoria Mboko’s historic performance at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal this summer. It was a magical run that he compares to a Hollywood movie. He watched her quarter-final and semi-final matches in-person and was especially impressed by her composure and her champion’s mentality.
“I believe that people in Canada are very fond of sports, and when we win, it helps the cause. It will definitely help the new generation because it provides inspiration. Young people will say, ‘Victoria did it, maybe we can do it too with support’,” Surin added.
While Surin does see some similarities between tennis and track and field, he acknowledges that tennis players need more coaching and guidance, more structure around them. The evolution required as an athlete to reach the upper echelon of the sport is more intense and complete.
That’s why Canada’s next generation of tennis stars needs your support. Every donation made until Giving Tuesday on December 2 will be matched by Bruny Surin to help bring tennis opportunities to more children and communities.
Invest in the future of Canadian tennis and double your impact today!
