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Above: "That was then." The Rexall Centre on Oct. 3, 2003.
Everything is in place and, as they say in the movies, the new Rexall Centre at York University is "Good to Go!"
The landscaping is complete and on the main grounds tents have been erected to house retail outlets, restaurants and the promotions court. Positioned on the south side of the grounds is the grandstand court which will seat 3,000 tennis fans. The jumble of construction debris has been replaced with a sea of green grass and shrubbery. The banners have been hung including one featuring superstar Andre Agassi.
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Above and below: "This is now." Finishing touches are completed on the new Rexall Centre at York University.
Only days from hosting the best in men’s tennis, the Rexall Centre’s Sky Lounges have received finishing touches and the final coats of paint including the signature "Tour Purple" and "Spring Green" now cover Centre Court at the new Rexall Centre. Paint has been applied to railings and walls, and the last of the upper deck seating has been installed.
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The transformation has been speedy considering that in October 2003 the centre was a pit with a few concrete pillars. Since then, the on-site construction team of close to 100 led by PCL Constructors Ltd. has been working to complete the project. The overall scheme was designed by a 10-member team from the firm Robbie/Young + Wright. The site layout and centre court facility was modelled after a similar facility located in Key Biscayne, Florida. The design took approximately one year to complete with special attention given to the location of facilities required for spectators. This included a detailed study of sight lines to ensure the best possible views from all seats.
Special alumni discount available to York faculty and staff
The York alumni office has extended a special invitation to faculty and staff of York University to join them as they celebrate the opening of the new $45-million Tennis Canada Rexall Centre located on the Keele campus.
Members of the York community are invited to a special alumni night. Faculty, staff and alumni can enjoy the Third Round on the evening of Thursday, July 29; tickets are just $60 per session for Level 100 Bronze Seating, or $36 per session for Level 300 seating, plus 15 per cent for GST and applicable fees. All prices include a reserved seat at Centre Court, access to the exclusive lounge and a free souvenir magazine. For tickets, please call 1-877-2TENNIS, ext. 7951.
Four Canadians receive wild cards for singles main draw
Included in the playlist for this year's tournament are four Canadians. Toronto native Daniel Nestor, Frank Dancevic from Niagara Falls, Ont., Frederic Niemeyer from Deauville, Que., and Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Que. native Simon Larose have received wild cards for the singles main draw of the Tennis Masters Canada.
Currently ranked eighth in the ATP Doubles Rankings, Nestor will be making his 13th consecutive Tennis Masters Canada appearance. Nestor has had a successful 2004 season, winning two doubles titles with Bahamian partner Mark Knowles, in Marseille and Barcelona, and advancing to the Wimbledon semifinals earlier this month. The 31-year-old has posted several big singles victories in his career, including wins over Stefan Edberg, Marcelo Rios and Gustavo Kuerten, all former World No. 1s.
Dancevic, currently the second ranked singles player in Canada, will be making his third main draw appearance at the Tennis Masters Canada. The 19-year-old has had many big wins so far this year; he posted a semifinal run at the Surbiton Trophy Challenger in May, which included a win over a former Top 10 player, England’s Greg Rusedski.
Niemeyer, currently the third ranked singles player in Canada, will be making his eighth consecutive Tennis Masters Canada main draw appearance. The 28-year-old has posted some key victories in the first half of 2004. He qualified for the first ATP Masters Series event of the year, the Pacific Life Open, and also advanced to the second round in Memphis.
Currently the top ranked singles player in Canada, Larose will be making his sixth Tennis Masters Canada main draw appearance. Last year in Montreal, Larose advanced to the third round, which included a victory over Kuerten in the first round. In 2004, the 26-year-old advanced to the second round of the Pacific Life Open and was a semifinalist at the Challenger event in Tallahassee.
"Having four of our most talented players competing as part of the opening of the Rexall Centre will be both a memorable experience and monumental event in the history of Canadian tennis" said Stacey Allaster, vice-president and tournament director for Tennis Canada. "The home fans will be able to cheer for Daniel, Frank, Frederic and Simon as they compete against the best of the ATP on a grand international stage."
Three Canadians have also received wildcards into the qualifying draw. Philipe Gubenco of Longueuil, Que., Dejan Cvetkovic of Montreal and North Vancouver’s Sanjin Sadovich will look to secure a main draw spot beginning on Saturday, July 24. The fourth qualifying wildcard will be announced on Thursday, July 22.
Photographs courtesy of Tennis Canada.