Team Canada’s tennis team announced for Santiago 2023

TORONTO (October 4, 2023) – Tennis Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s tennis team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Team Canada tennis team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Athletes
Justin Boulais (Vancouver, B.C.)
Stacey Fung (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Rebecca Marino (Oakville, Ont.)
Carol Zhao (Toronto, Ont.)

The athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their respective Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) or Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking on September 11, 2023. Justin Boulais and Stacey Fung will make their Pan American Games debuts, while Rebecca Marino and Carol Zhao will each make their second Pan Am Games appearance.

Marino headlines the list of Canadians who will take part in the women’s tennis events. The 32-year-old, ranked No. 139 on the WTA Tour, is a regular member of Team Canada for Billie Jean King Cup ties. She was part of the team that defeated Belgium 3-2 earlier this year in her hometown Vancouver to qualify for the Finals in November. Marino, who competed in women’s singles at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, is looking forward to the chance to represent Team Canada again.

“The Pan Am Games have always been a great place for Canadian athletes to shine and I’m happy to announce my participation with Team Canada in Santiago,” said Marino. “I’m looking forward to a great tournament playing for my country and visiting Santiago for the first time.”

Zhao, currently No. 229 in the WTA singles ranking, returns to the Pan Am Games after having won gold in women’s doubles alongside Gabriela Dabrowski on home soil at Toronto 2015. Zhao has won four ITF singles titles in her career, including two in 2022 – the W100 Charleston, and W25 Incheon. Fung, currently No. 230 on the WTA Tour, has won eight career ITF singles titles, including the 2022 ITF W25 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Marino and Fung will play in women’s singles and also join forces in women’s doubles.

Team Canada’s entry in men’s singles is Justin Boulais, son of former Canadian pro and two-time Olympian Patricia Hy-Boulais. No. 625 in the ATP singles ranking, the 21-year-old won the ITF M15 in Champaign, Illinois in 2022 and received a qualifying wild card to the National Bank Open presented by Rogers earlier this year. Boulais currently plays for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the NCAA. He will also team up with Fung in mixed doubles.

Team Canada has won six tennis medals at the Pan American Games since its inclusion in 1951. The only gold won so far by Canadians was that of Zhao and Dabrowski in women’s doubles at Toronto 2015. At Santiago 2023, the gold and silver medallists in the singles events will qualify themselves directly for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, provided they are in the top 400 of their respective world singles ranking on June 10, 2024 and their NOC has quotas available following the allocation of Olympic qualifying spots via the ATP/WTA rankings on that date. 

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations. Tennis will take place October 23-29 (Days 3 to 9) at the Centro Deportivo de las Raquetas in the Parque Estadio Nacional.

“Team Canada’s tennis players, it’s time to show the Pan Am Games what you’re made of! On the court, let your skills ‘racket’ up the excitement, and may your games be filled with ‘smash’-ing victories and ‘ace’-worthy moments,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission.

Team Canada’s tennis team coaches and support staff for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:

Roberto Brogin (North Vancouver, British Columbia) – Coach and Team Leader
Lan Yao-Gallop (Edmonton, Alberta) – Coach

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Oliver Wheeler, Manager, Communications
C: 647-458-4005
E: owheeler@tenniscanada.com

Tara MacBournie, Team Canada Santiago 2023 Sport Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca