Tennis Canada is proud of the nation’s illustrious history in doubles across both the ATP and WTA Tour.
Daniel Nestor was a trailblazer in the discipline. The Torontonian won all there was to win over his 27-year career as he became the first man to accomplish the “Big” titles sweep in doubles; hoisting every major trophy, winning the Nitto ATP Finals four times, and securing gold for Canada at the 2000 Olympics Games in Sydney.
Nestor spent 108 weeks atop of the ATP doubles rankings – fifth-most all time – and goes down as one of the greatest doubles players in history.
Gabriela Dabrowski has achieved so much on the WTA doubles side as well, and she continues to be on top of the game. The Ottawan is a two-time US Open champion, winning in 2023 and 2025, and captured the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. She also made history in 2024 as she became the first Canadian to win the WTA Finals, the same year she won mixed doubles bronze alongside Félix Auger-Aliassime at the Paris Olympics.
This year alone, Dabrowski has hoisted three trophies, including at the WTA 1000 in Dubai where she achieved a career-high of No. 2. The 34-year-old is also coming off her third Wimbledon final.
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Together, Nestor and Dabrowski have led many Canadian players to compete in doubles as Cleeve Harper and Kayla Cross continue to make steps forward in the rankings.
“I’ve spent a little bit of time with Nestor. It’s really nice to pick the brain of someone who has done so well at the highest level, and I feel like he has a lot of belief in me as well to push myself and get to the next step,” Harper said in an interview. “[Dabrowski] has also done amazing things on the woman’s side. It’s nice to see great things in Canadian doubles.”
Harper is currently Canada’s men’s doubles No. 1 and has sat in and around the Top 100 throughout the year. The Calgary-native was also a part of Team Canada’s momentous win at the Davis Cup Qualifiers in February.
“Anytime I get to play for Canada, it’s an unbelievable experience,” Harper said. “Just the feeling of playing for more than yourself, there’s a different pressure to it, but pressure is a privilege and it means you’re going out there and doing something meaningful in life.”
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Doubles is an integral part of the Billie Jean King and Davis Cup – being the third match in the order of play – which is something new to the women’s side after the Billie Jean King Cup moved the doubles match from fifth to third.
“I think it really puts a spotlight on doubles that hasn’t been the case in the past,” Cross said in an interview. “The energy, from the crowd and our team on the sidelines was unreal. I feel like you get that more with the new format.”
On top of representing Canada at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in Kazakhstan last April, Cross has impressed in doubles so far this season, reaching a career-high No. 127 thanks to a title in her first doubles event of the year at the ITF W100 San Diego. The London-native received another major boost for her triumph as Tennis Canada continues its investment into doubles with the “double-double” fund.
As the name suggests, the initiative doubles a player’s prize money from winning a doubles 75k Challenger or above, with a total of $15 000 available each year for both men’s and women’s. The aim of this grant is to continue the success of being a strong doubles nation, especially with its high importance in the Team Canada events on the international stage at Billie Jean King and Davis Cup events, as well as the Olympics.
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The financial aspect of playing doubles is a challenge for players, so this initiative is a starting point to encourage and support players who are committing to playing doubles and have a strong potential in the discipline.
Six different Canadians have already been the beneficiary of a portion of the fund since the start of 2025. Cross was a recipient twice, first after her win at the WTA 125 Tampico and then recently in San Diego.
“It’s a massive help for sure. The financial part is great because it helps with travelling and coaching and all that stuff,” Cross said. “It’s great to see that Tennis Canada is helping to support doubles and show appreciation to the people that play doubles.”
Harper and fellow Canadian Liam Draxl also received a portion of the fund following their win at an ATP Challenger in Portugal last year.
“It takes a lot and it’s not easy to support yourself, so any help you can get means a lot,” Harper said. “I’m super grateful for all the help that Tennis Canada has given to me in the past couple of years. It takes that added pressure off and you can focus on competing and that makes it a lot more fun.”
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Tennis Canada’s aim remains winning Bille Jean King and Davis Cup but, with the Olympics just two years away, the focus on earning another medal has intensified. With the organization’s emphasis on building strong doubles and mixed doubles teams, it gives players like Harper and Cross the ability to compete at their fullest in hopes of bringing home a medal, setting sights on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The Davis Cup is coming to Quebec City September 18 and 19 as Team Canada hosts France in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Second Round. Tickets are on sale now. CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS!
Feature Photo: Sarah-Jade Champagne
