Canadian Open

History of the Canadian Open (Rogers Cup)

1881: The tournament begins

The Canadian Open traces its origins to 1881, when the inaugural men’s championship was held in Toronto, Ontario. Known historically as the Canadian Championships, the event was established during the early development of organised lawn tennis. The first edition took place just a few years after Wimbledon began in 1877, placing the Canadian competition among the earliest major national tennis championships.

Women’s tennis was incorporated into the tournament in 1892, when the women’s singles championship was introduced. This expansion helped establish the event as a competition for both men and women, although the two championships developed within the social and organisational conventions of their respective eras. Over time, the tournament became a significant fixture in Canadian sporting life and an increasingly important event on the international tennis calendar.

The early decades: Building a national championship

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, tennis was expanding throughout North America and Europe. The Canadian Championships contributed to this development by bringing leading players together to compete for national honours. The tournament’s early identity was closely connected to amateur tennis, which dominated organised competition before the professional era became established.

Its format, venues and prominence evolved as the sport grew. Grass courts played an important role in tennis during the tournament’s early history, reflecting the game’s origins as lawn tennis. Competitive opportunities were also shaped by the travel costs, social restrictions and amateur regulations of the period. Nevertheless, the Canadian Championships gradually established a reputation that extended beyond the country’s borders.

The event eventually became known as the Canadian Open, a name that reflected its wider international standing. As professional tennis developed, the tournament adapted to a changing sporting landscape in which leading players increasingly competed for prize money and ranking points rather than simply national or amateur titles.

1968: The Open Era transforms tennis

The beginning of the Open Era in 1968 marked a turning point for international tennis. Before this change, major tournaments generally distinguished between amateur and professional competitors, preventing many leading professionals from entering traditional amateur championships. The Open Era allowed professionals and amateurs to compete together in the same major events.

The Canadian Open became part of this new era, helping attract stronger international fields and contributing to the growth of professional tennis in Canada. The shift also changed the business of the sport. Prize money, sponsorship, television coverage and international promotion became increasingly important to tournament organisers.

As tennis became more commercialised, the Canadian Open developed into a major stop for leading players. The event’s position in the summer calendar made it especially attractive to competitors preparing for the US Open, while its established history gave it prestige that newer tournaments could not easily replicate.

1980s: The men’s and women’s events develop in major cities

Toronto and Montreal became central to the tournament’s modern identity. The men’s and women’s competitions developed a shared association with these cities, although the two events were not always staged at the same venue or in precisely the same week. This arrangement helped accommodate the tournament’s growing scale while allowing both championships to build their own traditions.

The event also became increasingly integrated into the leading international tennis circuits. The men’s competition developed into an important ATP Tour event, while the women’s competition became a prominent WTA Tour tournament. Their positions within the professional calendar enhanced the tournament’s importance for ranking points and preparation for the US Open.

As television coverage expanded and international audiences grew, the Canadian Open attracted greater attention beyond Canada. The combination of established champions, emerging talent and high-level competition helped make it one of the leading annual tournaments outside the four Grand Slams.

1990s: The Masters Series era

The men’s tournament gained additional prominence in 1990, when it became part of the ATP Championship Series, the predecessor of the modern ATP Masters 1000 category. This classification placed it among the most important men’s tournaments outside the Grand Slams and increased its significance in the professional rankings.

The modern Masters 1000 structure was introduced in 2009, with the Canadian men’s event retaining its position in that elite category. Masters 1000 tournaments award substantial ranking points and generally attract the leading players on the ATP Tour, making them a central part of the men’s professional season.

The women’s event also developed its standing within the WTA’s top tournament tiers over time. The combined history of the men’s and women’s competitions reinforced the Canadian Open’s international profile and made it a regular highlight of the North American summer hard-court swing.

2000s: The Rogers Cup name becomes firmly established

Corporate sponsorship has played an important role in the tournament’s modern identity. The Rogers Cup name became widely recognised during the sponsorship period associated with Canadian telecommunications company Rogers. For many tennis fans, particularly those who followed the sport during the 2000s and 2010s, Rogers Cup remains the familiar name for the competition.

Sponsorship helped support the organisation of a major international event, including facilities, broadcast production, player services and spectator experiences. Like many elite sporting competitions, the Canadian Open relies on a combination of ticket sales, sponsorship, broadcast arrangements and commercial partnerships to operate at its modern scale.

During this period, the tournament continued to welcome leading champions from different generations. Players such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray helped define the men’s game, while Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justine Henin and other leading competitors contributed to the women’s tournament’s high standard. Their appearances strengthened the event’s reputation as a place where the world’s best could produce memorable performances.

2011: Novak Djokovic wins in Montreal

Novak Djokovic’s victory at the 2011 Canadian Open in Montreal was an important chapter in his rise to dominance. He defeated Mardy Fish in the final, winning 6–2, 3–6, 6–4. The result added another major hard-court title to a remarkable season in which Djokovic established himself as the leading player in men’s tennis.

The 2011 season was particularly significant because Djokovic also won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, finishing the year with three Grand Slam singles titles. His Canadian Open victory illustrated how effectively he could maintain his form across a demanding calendar and against strong international opposition.

2013: Rafael Nadal claims the Montreal title

Rafael Nadal won the men’s singles title in Montreal in 2013, defeating Canadian player Milos Raonic in the final 6–2, 6–2. The victory was especially notable because Raonic was playing on home soil and had become one of Canada’s most prominent men’s tennis players.

Nadal’s win demonstrated his ability to excel on hard courts as well as his more traditionally favoured clay. The result also highlighted the importance of the Canadian Open to local tennis fans, who had a homegrown contender competing for one of the season’s major titles.

2019: Bianca Andreescu makes Canadian tennis history

The 2019 tournament produced one of the most memorable moments in Canadian tennis. Bianca Andreescu won the women’s singles title in Toronto after Serena Williams retired from the final while trailing 3–1 in the first set because of a back injury. Andreescu was awarded the championship, becoming the first Canadian woman to win the country’s national championship in singles in the Open Era.

Andreescu’s triumph was a major milestone for Canadian tennis. Later that year, she won the US Open women’s singles title, defeating Williams in the final. Her Canadian Open success therefore formed part of a breakthrough season that transformed her from a promising young player into a Grand Slam champion.

The men’s title in 2019 went to Rafael Nadal, who defeated Daniil Medvedev in Montreal 6–3, 6–0. Nadal’s victory further underlined the tournament’s ability to attract the leading players while providing a platform for emerging stars.

2020: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupts the tournament

The 2020 edition of the Canadian Open was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision reflected the widespread disruption to international sport caused by public-health restrictions, travel difficulties and uncertainty surrounding the organisation of large sporting events.

The cancellation was particularly significant because the Canadian Open has traditionally been a major part of the North American summer tennis season. Its absence left a gap in the schedule and demonstrated how even a tournament with more than a century of history could be affected by global events.

2021: The National Bank Open name arrives

In 2021, the tournament adopted the National Bank Open name following a sponsorship agreement with National Bank of Canada. This marked the end of the Rogers Cup branding and introduced the name used for the modern event.

The tournament also returned under unusual circumstances during the continuing pandemic. The men’s competition was held in Toronto and the women’s competition in Montreal, maintaining the traditional alternating-city arrangement while accommodating the circumstances of the time. Daniil Medvedev won the men’s singles title in Toronto, defeating Reilly Opelka 6–4, 6–3. Camila Giorgi won the women’s singles title in Montreal, defeating Karolína Plíšková 6–3, 7–5.

2022–2024: New champions and a changing competitive landscape

The early 2020s demonstrated the depth of modern professional tennis. In 2022, Pablo Carreño Busta won the men’s singles title in Montreal, defeating Hubert Hurkacz 3–6, 6–3, 6–3. Simona Halep won the women’s title in Toronto, defeating Beatriz Haddad Maia 6–3, 2–6, 6–3.

In 2023, Jannik Sinner won the men’s championship in Toronto, defeating Alex de Minaur 6–4, 6–1. Sinner’s victory was a significant milestone in his development among the leading players of the next generation. Jessica Pegula won the women’s title in Montreal, defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6–1, 6–0 in the final.

The 2024 edition continued the pattern of high-level competition and breakthrough performances. Australia’s Alexei Popyrin won the men’s singles title in Montreal, defeating Andrey Rublev 6–2, 6–4. It was Popyrin’s first ATP Masters 1000 title. In Toronto, American Jessica Pegula won her second consecutive Canadian Open women’s singles title, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6–3, 2–6, 6–1.

The Canadian Open today: A historic tournament with a modern identity

Today, the National Bank Open remains a key event on both the ATP and WTA Tours. Its alternating host-city arrangement means the men’s and women’s singles competitions are generally held in different Canadian cities each year, with Toronto and Montreal sharing hosting responsibilities. The tournament’s position in the North American hard-court season makes it an important test for players preparing for the US Open.

Its legacy is built on more than championship trophies. The Canadian Open has survived changes in playing surfaces, professional regulations, sponsorship, tournament formats and the wider sporting industry. It has welcomed generations of champions while giving Canadian players opportunities to compete in front of home crowds.

From its nineteenth-century beginnings as a national lawn-tennis championship to its present status as a prestigious international tournament, the Canadian Open has maintained a remarkable place in tennis history. The Rogers Cup name remains part of its popular identity, but the National Bank Open branding represents its current era. For fans, the essential attraction has not changed: world-class tennis, compelling rivalries and the possibility of witnessing the next great champion emerge on Canadian soil.