ANNOUNCEMENT: GivingTuesday is only one week away! To celebrate, Bianca Andreescu has offered to DOUBLE every dollar donated to Tennis Canada.* Your generous gift will go 2X as far.Help us keep the advantage in Canada by partnering with Bianca!
Throughout my tenure as CEO, I’ve had the privilege to witness tennis and its ability to change lives. Whether with sell-out crowds at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto and Montreal, at community clubs in Vancouver, or a modest court in rural New Brunswick – I’ve seen dreams kindled, champions made, and most importantly, countless lives touched.
During my early days, I met a young aspiring player from a small community. She told me how tennis had given her life a purpose and how she dreamed of one day playing on the big stage. Her fierce determination, juxtaposed with the lack of resources available to her, deeply moved me. It was a moment that solidified my faith – that with the right support, there’s no dream too big for our tennis community.
My faith was further solidified just last week as I watched with immense pride as our Canadian women brought home the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in Canada’s history. This historic achievement by Leylah, Gabriela, Rebecca, Eugenie, and Marina, headed by team captain Heidi El Tabakh, is proof of Canada’s tennis advantage. Team Canada, my hat is off to you!
As you know, I am retiring at the end of 2023. Witnessing these unbelievable women rise to such incredible heights is the best retirement gift I could ever wish for.
Which brings me to a pivotal date next week: GivingTuesday. On November 28, communities around the globe will come together in a celebration of giving. It’s a simple idea – after the shopping events of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday is a day to give back, in whatever way we can, to deserving causes that need our support. In our case, improving our beloved game and keeping the advantage in Canada!
If you take advantage of Bianca’s offer to match your donation, the impact of your dollars will stretch beyond the court. Today, you can help support Tennis Canada’s mission to grow the game of tennis from coast to coast. As GivingTuesday approaches, I urge you to mark your calendars (or, if you’d like to make your gift early, you can do so by clicking here). Bianca Andreescu has agreed to match every donation dollar-for-dollar, so your generosity can have twice as much impact!
As I prepare to pass the baton to Gavin Ziv, I am reminded of all the beautiful moments, challenges we overcame, and the remarkable journey we tennis lovers have undertaken together. I’m filled with gratitude and optimism. During my time with Tennis Canada, our country has risen to the top and has become a leading tennis nation. With your continued support, the future of tennis in Canada shines brighter than ever.
Thanks to Bianca’s generous offer to match every donation, we have a chance to make this GivingTuesday special. Let’s show the world what we’re made of.
Warmest regards,
Michael Downey
Outgoing CEO, Tennis Canada
PS: Click here if you’d like to make your GivingTuesday donation early and help build the next generation of high-performance tennis stars. Every dollar you give will be automatically doubled*.
*Every GivingTuesday donation will be matched by Bianca Andreescu, to a maximum of $50,000. Let’s go!
