Tennis Canada proudly announced on Tuesday the esteemed recipients of the 2024 Tennis Canada Excellence Awards. Among the distinguished winners, Gabriela Dabrowski and Félix Auger-Aliassime both achieved remarkable recognition, securing the titles of Player of the Year. Additionally, Dabrowski was honored as the Women’s Doubles Player of the Year, while Auger-Aliassime received the accolade of Men’s Singles Player of the Year. Their exceptional performances have not only elevated their careers but also significantly contributed to the growth of tennis in Canada.

Celebrating the Top Achievements of Canadian Tennis in 2024

“We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Tennis Canada Excellence Awards,” expressed Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Canada. “Over the past few years, Canada has solidified its status as a leading tennis nation, and this remarkable progress would not be achievable without the outstanding accomplishments of our Canadian players on the international stage. Gaby [Dabrowski] and Félix [Auger-Aliassime] medaling at the Olympics, Gaby making history as the first Canadian to win the WTA Finals, Frédérique [Bérubé Perron] qualifying for Canada’s inaugural junior wheelchair tennis Grand Slam, and the incredible progress of athletes like Leylah Annie [Fernandez], Marina [Stakusic], and Gabriel [Diallo] are just a few highlights from this extraordinary season. Watching our athletes reach new milestones has been a true joy, and I am excited to see what 2025 will bring. Congratulations once again to this year’s award winners; the impact you all have made on the visibility and growth of Canadian tennis is truly remarkable, and we look forward to your ongoing success, which continues to inspire and engage tennis enthusiasts across the nation.”

Remarkable Achievements: Dabrowski and Auger-Aliassime’s Historic Seasons

In a groundbreaking year, Gabriela Dabrowski, currently ranked No. 3 in the world for doubles, has been awarded the Women’s Player of the Year for the first time in her illustrious career. This season stands out as a memorable chapter, particularly following her triumphant victory at the 2023 US Open, where she clinched her maiden Grand Slam women’s doubles title. The talented player from Ottawa commenced her 2024 campaign with a strong semifinal finish at the Australian Open, partnering with Erin Routliffe, showcasing her exceptional skills and tenacity on the court.

As the year progressed, this dynamic duo reached the finals at prestigious events including Wimbledon and two WTA 1000 tournaments, namely the Miami Open presented by Itaú and the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. They rounded off their spectacular season with a historic victory at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone as the first Canadian team ever to be crowned champions at this prestigious year-end competition.

Dabrowski’s record-breaking season continued as she paired with Félix Auger-Aliassime to secure a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, representing Canada’s first Olympic tennis medal in 24 years. Auger-Aliassime, showcasing his immense talent, finished fourth in men’s singles, achieving the best result ever for a Canadian male athlete in this prestigious Olympic event.

On the ATP circuit, Félix Auger-Aliassime, who is wrapping up his sixth season ranked within the top 30 (currently No. 29), reached his first ATP 1000 final at the prestigious Mutua Madrid Open in April. This achievement marked a significant moment in Canadian tennis, as it was the first time since Milos Raonic reached the Cincinnati Open final in 2020 that a Canadian male player made it to the championship match of a 1000-level event in men’s singles. Auger-Aliassime has now earned his fourth Men’s Player of the Year award, further solidifying his status as a top competitor in the sport.

Dabrowski’s outstanding accomplishments this season have also led to her 12^th consecutive Women’s Doubles Player of the Year award, while Auger-Aliassime adds yet another Men’s Singles Player of the Year title to his impressive collection of accolades, underscoring their dominance in Canadian tennis.

Emerging Stars: The Impressive Journeys of Fernandez, Stakusic, Diallo, and Draxl in 2024

Leylah Annie Fernandez, recognized as Canada’s top-ranked singles player on the women’s side (currently No. 31), has claimed her fifth consecutive Women’s Singles Player of the Year award. The 22-year-old achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching the sixth final of her career at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, Great Britain, in June. Additionally, she showcased her skills with two impressive quarter-final finishes at WTA 1000 events, namely the Qatar TotalEnergies Open and the Cincinnati Open. Representing Canada at the Olympic Games, Fernandez reached the third round in singles, marking her best performance to date in Olympic competition.

Enjoying a breakout season, Marina Stakusic has earned her second Women’s Most Improved Player of the Year award. Currently ranked No. 125 in the world, this talented athlete spent the majority of 2023 competing on the ITF World Tennis Tour. She opened her 2024 season with a strong performance, qualifying for the main draw of the Cymbiotika San Diego Open, a WTA 500 event. In the summer, Stakusic reached another significant milestone by qualifying for her first Grand Slam main draw at Wimbledon, ultimately winning a first-round match at the National Bank Open, a notable achievement in her career. To conclude her remarkable season, she secured her biggest career title at the WTA 125 Abierto Tampico, further solidifying her ascent in the sport.

Gabriel Diallo, also receiving his second Most Improved Player of the Year award, has made significant strides this year, currently holding the No. 87 ranking in the world. The 23-year-old Montrealer played a crucial role in Canada’s success at the Davis Cup Qualifiers, winning both of his matches at the event held in his hometown. In May, Diallo made history by advancing to his first Grand Slam main draw at Roland-Garros, repeating this achievement at the US Open, where he surprised many by reaching the third round as a qualifier. His outstanding season also included a title at the Chicago Men’s Challenger and a second-place finish at the ATP 250 event in Almaty, Kazakhstan, showcasing his potential as a rising star in Canadian tennis.

Liam Draxl from Newmarket finished the year as the highest-ranked player on the men’s doubles circuit (currently No. 132). He celebrated a successful year, winning five ATP Challenger titles and one ITF M25 event in Edmonton, Alberta. Entering the 2025 season on a high note, Draxl is on an eight-match winning streak in doubles, having won his last two tournaments in Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, Mexico. The 23-year-old also achieved success in singles, winning ITF M25 titles in Edmonton and Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec, along with an M15 title in Huamantla, Mexico, further establishing himself as a versatile competitor.

In the junior circuit, Nadia Lagaev and Nicolas Arsenault, ranked No. 54 and No. 84 respectively, demonstrated impressive performances on both the junior and professional levels. Lagaev, at just 16 years old, clinched two J200 titles in the junior category and reached her first professional final at an ITF W15 event in Antalya, Turkey. She showcased her skills with a record of 5-2 while representing Canada at the junior Billie Jean King Cup. Meanwhile, Arsenault, 17, also secured two titles on the junior circuit at J100 events in Quebec City and Burlington, Ontario, and made his mark by competing in the main draws of the Drummondville and Edmonton National Bank Challengers, as well as the qualifying round of the National Bank Open.

Recognizing Excellence in Wheelchair Tennis: Shaw and Bérubé Perron Shine in 2024

In addition to the accolades for able-bodied players, Rob Shaw, currently ranked No. 7 in the quad division, has been honored with the Wheelchair Tennis Player of the Year award. The Ontario native enjoyed a successful year, qualifying for Grand Slam events at both the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. He also made it to the quarter-finals in quad singles at the 2024 Paralympic Games. Shaw wrapped up the year with an impressive tally of five doubles titles and two singles titles, including a significant victory at an ITF 1 series competition, which marked the biggest singles title of his career.

Additionally, the Most Improved Wheelchair Tennis Player of the Year award was bestowed upon Frédérique Bérubé Perron, an 18-year-old emerging talent from Montreal. Ranked seventh in juniors and 65^th in the women’s rankings, Bérubé Perron made an 89-place leap from her previous best ranking in 2023. This season, she triumphed in three ITF titles (one in singles and two in doubles), claimed both the women’s singles and juniors’ titles at the Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships, and made history by qualifying for the US Open, becoming the first Canadian wheelchair junior player to achieve this remarkable feat.