FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CALGARY NATIONAL BANK CHALLENGER REVEALS MAJOR PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR UPCOMING TENNIS TOURNAMENT Vasek Pospisil to be among professional tennis players at annual tournament CALGARY (Jan. 13, 2020) – Today, the Calgary National Bank Challenger announced that Canadian professional tennis player Vasek Pospisil will be joining its second annual tennis tournament hosted at the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre this February. Pospisil, who has been ranked as high as No. 25 in the world in Singles and No. 4 in Doubles, was most recently named Postmedia's Male Athlete of the Year for 2019. The Canadian athlete is coming to Calgary following an incredible year having defeated two of the top 10 ranked Singles players in the world – Karen Khachanov (Rus) and Fabio Fognini (ITA). The Vernon B.C. native’s impressive list of accolades includes Wimbledon Singles Quarterfinalist and Wimbledon Doubles Champion, as well as playing in the 2016 Summer Olympics doubles bronze-medal match alongside Daniel Nestor. "I’m extremely excited to play in the Calgary National Bank Challenger at the Alberta Tennis Centre in February,” said Vasek Pospisil, Canadian Professional Tennis Player. “I’ve heard that the organizers run an incredible event and that the crowds and tennis community in Alberta are amazing. I can’t wait to be a part of it." Following a successful inaugural event in 2018, selling over 6,500 tickets and live streaming to 140,000 viewers, the National Bank Challenger returns to Calgary as the largest indoor men’s professional event in Canada. The tournament will feature some of the best up-and-coming and established men’s professional tennis players in the world competing for ATP (Association of Tennis Professional) rankings. “We are thrilled to welcome Vasek Pospisil to the second edition of the Calgary National Bank Challenger,” said Danny Da Costa, Tournament Director of the Calgary National Bank Challenger. “Pospisil demonstrates the calibre of talent we host through this exciting tournament, and we look forward to yet another successful event celebrating and recognizing professional tennis in our country and around the world.” In addition to being the largest indoor professional tennis event in Canada, the Calgary National Bank Challenger will feature several exciting activities, including an opportunity to participate in a doubles clinic hosted by former World No. 1 Doubles Player, Olympic Champion and eight-time Grand Slam Champion, Daniel Nestor. The tournament will also provide an opportunity to support children in our community through KidSport Society of Calgary (KidSport), who will be hosting an event on site to raise money for the organization and its partners. Quickly establishing itself as a leading tournament for Canadian tennis players, the Calgary National Bank Challenger is receiving support from notable sponsors including the National Bank, Tennis Canada, Government of Alberta, Tourism Calgary, the Concorde Group, Holt Renfrew, Rogers Sportsnet 960, Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, Pattison, Glenmore Audi, Porsche Centre Calgary and more. The event will also feature food from local Calgary restaurants including Lulu Bar, Pigeonhole, National, and Bridgette Bar in the hospitality lounge. Ahead of the tournament, the official player and line up announcement will be made at The CORE Shopping Centre (The CORE) on February 10 at 10 a.m. during an exciting pre-event celebration. The public are encouraged to join tournament organizers at The CORE from February 10 to 21 to play with tennis professionals and buy tickets to the highly anticipated event. The second annual Calgary National Bank Challenger will take place February 24 to March 1, 2020 at the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: www.calgary.nationalbankchallenger.com. -30- OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta TEnnis CEntrE The OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre is one of Canada’s premier tennis facilities and has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best tennis facilities in North America. The community-based, state-of- the-art family friendly tennis facility located just off one of Calgary’s main routes, MacLeod Trail, is located in the heart of Acadia (SE Calgary) and covers 71,000 square feet, over 3.19 acres. The OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre opened in the spring of 2016 to critical acclaim and is championed by local funders with the support of Tennis Canada. The $13 million-dollar, non-profit tennis Centre has quickly established itself as the benchmark for facility design and operation in Canada and won the Tennis Canada Facility Excellence Award (Indoor Facility of the Year) in 2017. The tennis Centre welcomed over 150,000 people since opening its doors in 2016 and has introduced the game of tennis to thousands of Calgarians since opening. The tennis Centre has been built to international competition standards and is considered the most technologically advanced tennis Centre in Canada and is among the most technologically advanced Centres in the world. It is a highly sought-after tournament destination and hosts multiple international events each year, including the Calgary National Bank Challenger ATP event. For more information visit www.albertatenniscentre.ca. Media InquiriEs Jenna Hamilton Brookline Public Relations, Inc. 403-861-2443 [email protected] .