Photo : Sarah-Jade Champagne
Tennis Canada announced Tuesday morning that former Vice President of High Performance at Tennis Canada, Louis Borfiga, will be inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame this year in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of tennis in Canada.
Originally from Monaco, Borfiga worked at Tennis Canada for over 15 years (2006–2021) and played a key role in the conceptualization and implementation of the National Tennis Centre presented by Rogers in Montreal, at IGA Stadium. Having led a similar program during his tenure at the French Tennis Federation (FFT), the French coach leveraged his expertise to completely revamp the Canadian high-performance system and elevate it to new heights.
Drawing on best practices from around the world aimed at bringing the best athletes in the country together in a single training centre, Borfiga was the driving force behind a significant overhaul of Tennis Canada’s program. He not only hired a brand-new team of internationally renowned coaches and support staff, but he also worked closely with the federation’s management team to implement new facilities offering the best possible resources for elite athletes. These numerous changes ultimately led Borfiga to coach several young talents who later distinguished themselves on the international stage, including Félix Auger-Aliassime, Milos Raonic, Eugenie Bouchard, and Bianca Andreescu.
“It is a great honour for me to have been selected as a new member of the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame,” says Borfiga. “My time in Canada was undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments of my career, thanks in large part to the creation of the National Tennis Centre in Montreal, which laid the foundation for everything that followed. By relying on strong values such as ambition, humility and team spirit, we were able to collectively build a new program and performance culture that propelled the country to heights once perceived as impossible to reach. I am privileged to have witnessed this success, and my fondest wish is that the foundations we have laid will endure and continue to take Canadian tennis even higher.”
“We are extremely pleased to celebrate Louis’ induction as a Builder to the Hall of Fame and we congratulate him on the well-deserved honour,” said Bob Kirkpatrick, Chair, Tennis Canada Hall of Fame Committee. “His exceptional contributions over many years to our high-performance tennis system helped Canada become a top tennis nation and contributed to the continued success of our players on the international stage.”
“Louis Borfiga revolutionized the Canadian tennis high performance landscape, putting Canada firmly on the international map,” added Gavin Ziv, CEO, Tennis Canada. “With a clear vision and unwavering strong values, he established a robust structure that fostered a culture of winning and reaching unprecedented heights. His dedication and results have cemented his legacy in Canada, raising the bar on excellence and developing champions. We thank him for what he did for Canadian tennis.”
“When Louis [Borfiga] arrived from the French Federation, he brought a winning culture to Canadian tennis and helped establish a world-class system and structure with our partners, notably through the creation in 2007 of the National Tennis Centre in Montreal and major efforts to mobilize all partners,” said Guillaume Marx, Vice President of High Performance, Tennis Canada. “His simple yet thorough and direct approach to development was very inspiring. By surrounding himself with world-class coaches and by partnering with athletes, families, personal coaches, and exceptional partners, he helped us dream big and achieve historic results. We are very grateful for his outstanding contributions to our sport and are delighted and proud to see him inducted into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame.”
Borfiga, who was also awarded the prestigious Order of Canada in 2022 for his exceptional contributions to the evolution of Canadian tennis, has led the country’s athletes to a number of successes never seen in Canadian history. Notable examples include Andreescu’s iconic victory at the 2019 US Open, where she triumphed over Serena Williams, becoming the first Canadian player in history to win a Grand Slam singles title. In addition, the foundations established by Borfiga played a crucial role in Canada’s first-ever victories at the Davis Cup in 2022 and the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023.
Canada also benefited from Borfiga’s expertise and successes abroad. Borfiga started out as a professional player, reaching his highest ranking of world No. 308 in 1975. He ended his playing career at the age of 22 to become a coach at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, where he was Björn Borg’s training partner before joining the FFT, where he contributed to the development of numerous renowned players such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gaël Monfils, Gilles Simon, Nicolas Mahut, and Julien Benneteau, to name a few.
Louis Borfiga will be honoured at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal this summer during a special ceremony on Centre Court at IGA Stadium on Wednesday, August 7, at the beginning of the evening session. This event will aim to recognize his immense contribution to Canadian tennis and celebrate the profound impact he has had on the development of young talents in Canada.
