Alberta Talent Competes with the Best at Junior Nationals

From Calgary to Toronto, Vancouver to Verdun, the country’s top juniors came together to compete for the highest honours at the Fischer Junior National Championships. Thirty Alberta athletes, along with eight coaches, took to the courts across Canada to represent Wild Rose Country.

U12 – Calgary

Held on home soil at Calgary’s Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre (ATC), Alberta sent a record 12 players and 3 coaches to take on their interprovincial rivals. Over 50 players and coaches from Halifax to Vancouver Island descended on ATC for the week of high-level competition and fun. For many, it was their first taste competing on the national stage.

Photography courtesy of Kyle Clapham Photography.

While there was intense play, and tears of both joy and heartbreak, the U12 event emphasized getting players involved and competing with athletes from other provinces. Alberta athletes joined forces with players from the Prairies and Ontario to form Team Continental, taking on Team Costal, which brought together players from British Columbia, Quebec, and the Maritime provinces.

PLAYER ACHIEVEMENTS

Vlad Lupu battle into the semifinals, only falling to eventual champion—and his Super Auray doubles partner—Aiden Xue. Lupu wrapped up the event with an impressive record of eight wins and two losses.

Likewise, Vera Wing was defeated by Callie Raharinosy, who was the eventual and undefeated champion, in a tight 3-4, 3-4 duel. Wing finished the competition with a strong record of eight wins and three losses.

View the full results here.

U14 – Vancouver

Eight Alberta players and three coaches travelled west to Vancouver, to compete against their peers at the UBC Tennis Centre. A huge congratulations to all these outstanding players and coaches for their hard work, sportsmanship, and dedication:

Photography courtesy of Stuart Lowe.

Player Achievements

Kendra Zhang won four matches en route to qualifying for the championship flight in girls’ singles, advancing all the way to the quarterfinals.

Ruxleigh Bayasen and Sophie Murray reached the girls’ doubles quarterfinals, as did the boys’ doubles duo of Matthew Hall and Vlad Lupu.

Zimo Xiang Bai claimed the girls’ singles Flight 2 crown, overcoming teammate Sophie Murray in the final. Bai finished the competition with a record of five wins and three losses.

View the full results here.

U16 – Verdun

Nine of our top junior athletes, along with two coaches, made the journey to Quebec to compete at Verdun’s Club de Tennis Île des Sœurs.

Notable results

Rafael Bote won three straight matches to come through qualifying into the boys’ singles event. He put up a fight there but fell in a deciding third set to Ontario’s Aedan Malik.

Katherine Kobzar overcame third seed Ève Thibault 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3 in her opening match. Kobzar then defeated a second Quebec player before falling to Saskatchewan prodigy, and eventual champion, Isabella Ruyu Yan in the quarterfinals.

View the full results here.

U18 – Toronto

U18 photography courtesy of Peter Figura.

A small but mighty contingent of Alberta juniors were at made their way to Sobeys Stadium in Toronto to compete at the U18 Fischer Junior Nationals.

Results

Enoch had an impressive showing, besting multiple opponents on his runs to the singles round of 16 and doubles quarterfinals.

Elicia Lin went the distance. In doubles she teamed up with BC’s Amy Lu, reaching the final, coming just three points shy of the title.

But in singles, Lin would refuse to be denied. She defeated two players from Quebec, two from Ontario, and one from BC to capture the championship, taking down the tournament’s top two seeds along the way. What even more impressive? Lin did it all at just 15 years old, meaning she’ll be eligible to defend her title multiple times.

Lin is the first Albertan to win a U18 national singles title since Mia Kupres in 2019. Her standout performance and continued success on the national and international stages earned her a spot on Team Canada for the upcoming ITF World Junior Tennis competitions later this month.

Congratulations, Elicia!

View the full results here.

Special Recognition

These performances are the result of countless hours of relentless effort, determination, and sacrifice. These moments on court don’t just belong to the athletes who competed. These moments are shared with everyone who helped them get there. Coaches, families, friends, and supporters who’ve all played a role in shaping these journeys.

A special thank you to the many coaches who have taught, mentored, and inspired these players at their local clubs across the province: