Szilvassy, Fang Crowned Alberta Open Champions in Tournament’s Return to Red Deer

Feature photo: Jennifer Fang battles for the Women’s Open title.

For full results, please visit Tennis Canada Tournament Software.

Welcome to Red Deer, Alberta, home of scenic river valley parkland, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and the 113th Alberta Open. The tournament returned to Red Deer for the first time since 2007, when Carson Bell and Christine Skoda left as champions. Almost two decades later, a new generation of players took to the Red Deer Tennis Club to decide this year’s provincial champions.

Szilvassy Wins Men’s Singles

Andre Szilvassy, a coach and former pro out of Calgary, entered his first Alberta Open as the 5th seed. He enjoyed a relatively comfortable run to Sunday, relying on his expert mix of power, variety, and tactics.

In the final, he met his match in two-time defending champion Liam Spiers, an NCAA Division I player for the Omaha Mavericks. Spiers came hot out the gate, overwhelming Szilvassy with speed and ball striking he’d not yet seen before, taking the first set. But Szilvassy locked in, found his groove, and came up with ways to absorb and redirect the pace. He’d counterpunch his way back, levelling at match at one set apiece.

In the final, deciding set, Andre looked more and more comfortable, pushing Spiers deep behind the baseline and keeping him off balance. Szilvassy finished off the set 6-2 to secure his first Alberta Open championship title.

Fang Wins Women’s Singles

Jennifer Fang, a junior player out of the Saville Tennis Centre in Edmonton, also made her Alberta Open debut in Red Deer. Fang fought through a tough draw, knocking off older, college players in the quarterfinals and semifinals, including last year’s champion, Felicia Phan.

In the championship match, Fang met fellow Saville junior athlete Mika Oguro, who proved to be a worthy opponent. The match kicked off mid-morning and didn’t wrap up until after noon. After an hour of play, there was still a ways to go in the first set, with Oguro’s relentless defense and Fang’s consistency resulting in one long point after another. It was Fang who broke through, seizing the first set tiebreak after almost an hour and a half of play.

After taking the first set, the court began to slant in favour of Fang, as her shot quality and tenacity wore down Oguro’s defences. Fang pulled away to claim the second set 6-1, securing her the championship.

Wheelchair Division Returns

Back after a long hiatus, wheelchair players made a welcome return to the Alberta Open this year. Players from up and down the province—from Lethbridge to north of Edmonton—came to play.

This event was the result of a concerted effort to grow wheelchair tennis and make the game accessible to more players. Grants from Tennis Canada and programs through our facility members—notably the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre in Calgary and the IQ Tennis & Pickleball Centre in Edmonton—have built momentum. These athletes now have regular opportunities for practice and play.

On and Off the Court

As always, the Tennis Alberta team worked to enhance the overall player and spectator experience, offering plenty of ways to engage throughout the weekend.

This year featured new marquee show court matches for the Open quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, complete with draw prizes for the crowd. Off the court, the player social returned with great food and a new (incredibly delicious) beverage sponsor. Fans and players also gathered for the second annual One-Point Tournament, presented this year by Tomko Sports Systems, with an increased cash prize on the line.

Above: Semifinalists at the net ahead of their marquee sessions. Featured here are two pairs of semifinalists: Jennifer Fang – Felicia Phan, and Liam Spiers – Harry Lin.

Tournament Acknowledgments

This tournament wouldn’t have been possible without the community who contributed in countless ways. Tennis Alberta extends its gratitude to the Red Deer Tennis Club for stepping up and hosting this event.

We also want to recognize the volunteers whose hard work before, during, and after the event made this more than just any other tournament.

A special thank you to all our partners, who supported the 113th Alberta Open:

Gold Sponsors

• belairdirect
• Dunlop
• Tomko Sports Systems
• Tourism Red Deer

Silver Sponsors

• Denim & Smith Barbershops
• Naiad Irrigation Systems
• Racquet Central
• Troubled Monk Brewery

Thank you to the coaches, family, friends, and everyone who supports these athletes. And last, but far from least, we’d like to thank the players for participating and putting on a show.

See you next year!

Photography

High-resolution photos from the weekend are available to view and download.