marino

Rebecca Marino, Marina Stakusic, Carson Branstine, and Kayla Cross were granted main draw wild cards for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, Tennis Canada announced.

The four Canadians will join Leylah Fernandez, Bianca Andreescu, Victoria Mboko and Genie Bouchard in the main draw.

The eight Canadians set to compete in Montreal is a record number for the tournament.

“We are thrilled to announce that a record number of eight Canadian women will take part in this year’s main draw,” tournament director Valérie Tétreault wrote in a statement. “Tennis fans won’t soon forget this historic edition, where the experience of players like Eugenie Bouchard and Rebecca Marino will blend with the energy of our rising stars like Victoria (Mboko), Marina (Stakusic), Carson (Branstine) and Kayla (Cross). Our tournament has often been the stage where our Canadian players have delivered some of the best performances of their careers, carried by the energy and passion of a crowd that rallies behind them every single match. It promises to be a memorable week.”

Marino will be making her sixth appearance at the National Bank Open making it as far as the Round of 16 in 2021. In June, Marino competed in the final of the Ilkley Open in Great Britain losing to American Iva Jović.

Stakusic will be returning to competition recovering from an injury sustained a few weeks ago at the French Open in Roland-Garros.

The 131st anniversary of the National Bank Open, will take place at IGA Stadium in Montreal from July 27 to August 7.

The men’s event, celebrating its 143rd year, will take place at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto from from July 27 to August 7.