Sunday, August 13, 2023 – Jannik Sinner (ITA) during the 2023 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Ont.. (Gyles DiasTennis Canada)
Three-year agreement will also support Tennis Canada facilities development programs
The world’s leading provider of premium tennis court surfaces, equipment and accessories, Har-Tru, is the new official court surface and paint partner of Tennis Canada and the National Bank Open (NBO) presented by Rogers, it was announced on Tuesday.
Headquartered in Troy, Virginia, Har-Tru surfaces can be found on tennis courts in all 50 US states and in 23 countries globally, including over 150 in Canada. The three-year partnership will see Har-Tru resurface the 12 exterior and six interior courts at IGA Stadium in Montreal and the 11 exterior and four interior courts at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, where the premier WTA/ATP 1000 NBO events host the world’s best tennis players each August.
In addition to the NBO, IGA Stadium and Sobeys Stadium are home to the next generation of elite Canadian tennis players training at the National Tennis Centre presented by Rogers and Toronto Regional Training Centre, respectively.
“We are delighted to partner with a world-leading organization in this space,” said Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer, Tennis Canada. “This tremendous partnership will not only benefit our world-class NBO events but the young Canadian players in our development programs, who deserve nothing less than best-in-class facilities. We are also grateful to Har-Tru for supporting our efforts to provide Canadians with more accessible tennis courts across the country, via National Bank Play Your Court and the Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program presented by Rogers.”
During the NBO in both cities, Har-Tru has committed to donating $15 per ace to the National Bank Play Your Court program, which aims to revitalize more than 100 courts across the country by 2030, made possible thanks to a $3 million investment by National Bank.
In further support of Tennis Canada’s capacity building efforts, Har-Tru will also provide a substantial discount on material for the resurfacing of any court project part of the Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program presented by Rogers. With the aim of building 160 year-round courts at up to 30 facilities by 2029, the Year-Round Community Tennis Court program aims to make year-round tennis a reality for Canadians.
“We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with Tennis Canada and our designation as the official surface of the National Bank Open,” said Tracy Lynch, Har-Tru’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity for Har-Tru to extend our brand presence and share our mission of providing better places to play with the Canadian tennis community. We are deeply committed to supporting the growth of tennis in Canada and are honored to be part of such a prestigious event. We look forward to showcasing the superior quality and performance of Har-Tru surfaces while fostering a deeper connection with players and fans across the country.”
As part of this agreement, Har-Tru court surfaces and paint will also be used for any of Team Canada presented by Sobeys’ Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup ties hosted in Canada.