Two decades on from the inaugural ITF W75 Tevlin Challenger in 2005, the event has seen many Canadian players go on and compete among the world’s best.
Bianca Andreescu, a semifinalist in 2018, and 2012 champion Eugenie Bouchard are just a few names who have shined at the tournament before making their mark on the WTA stage. That was the aspiration Mike and Nicole Tevlin had for the Challenger when contributing to its birth and continued success.
“Basically, the idea was if we could use our gift to help with development of young players, that would be fantastic and we sort of left it up to Tennis Canada to decide the best way to do that,” Mike said. “It evolved fairly quickly into having some sponsorship money in a Challenger tournament.”
Nicole added, “The biggest thing is that it's nice for it to have been a stepping stone for so many Canadian players in terms of getting their ranking points and stepping into the professional stage.”
Thanks to its growth, the Challenger earned ITF Tournament Recognition for one of the best-performing events on the tour as the competition approaches its 20th anniversary. The Tevlin’s were there from the tournament’s early beginnings, having seen, and been a part of, the rise of women’s tennis and the sport as a whole in Canada.
“We feel privileged to have been involved a little bit,” Mike said. “I hope [Canada] continue to expand on the tennis culture that has been created in the last 20 years, and we had a very small part in that.”
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Expansion of tennis culture in Canada starts at tournaments like the Tevlin Challenger, being the potential boost a young player needs to kickstart their career and become a future inspiration to many.
“[The Challenger] is almost a last-ditch springboard for these young women to get to Australia,” Mike said. “Once they get there, a first-round loss is 100 grand I think, so then they can start to afford travel and coaching.”
But events and opportunities like this cannot be fully possibly without support beyond the court, getting involved in the ongoing growth of tennis and experiencing the thrill of being devoted to the sport.
“Getting involved in a sport that is burgeoning and is going through the roof, you'll get on a roller coaster ride that will excite you,” Mike said. “At the same time, you'll get to see a different aspect of life, you're going to see what it takes to be at the top… you’re going to be interested.”
“It will be surprising to anyone else if they haven't done it, but it will actually enrich their own life,” Nicole added. “It will open up a whole new world of what's out there.”
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With the Tevlin Challenger set to get underway in the coming days, many are encouraged to come support one of Canada’s most intriguing tournaments.
“There are stories every year,” Mike said. “There’s someone who's either on the verge of breaking out or on the verge of making a comeback. In my opinion, there are far more dramatic stories at a tournament like this.”
Qualifying begins on Sunday, with the main draw starting on Tuesday at Sobeys Stadium.
Feature Photo: Neena Channan
