The remarkable journey of Vasek Pospisil in professional tennis is drawing to a close.
The Canadian tennis star is set to retire following the National Bank Open presented by Rogers this month in Toronto, as announced by Tennis Canada on Monday.
At 35 years old, Pospisil has received a main-draw wild card for his hometown tournament.
“Making this decision was never simple,” Pospisil expressed. “Tennis has profoundly shaped my life, but it’s become increasingly evident, both mentally and physically, that it’s time to move on. I’m immensely thankful for the career I’ve enjoyed, especially growing up in a small town where this dream seemed distant.”
A proud product of Vernon, B.C., Pospisil’s professional tenure spanned 18 years, during which he peaked at No. 25 in singles ranking in 2014 and reached No. 4 in doubles the following year.
He made his mark by clinching the Wimbledon men’s doubles title in 2014 with American partner Jack Sock, along with securing six additional ATP men’s doubles titles.
Though he contested three singles finals, a title eluded him throughout his career.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to Vasek [Pospisil] for his incredible contributions to Canadian tennis throughout his illustrious career,” stated Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv. “Like Daniel Nestor before him, Vasek has inspired countless Canadians to take up our beloved sport.”
Pospisil proudly represented Canada at two Olympic Games (London 2012 and Rio 2016).
He was also a stalwart for the Canadian Davis Cup team since making his debut in 2008. With 35 ties under his belt and 33 wins, he was instrumental in helping Canada secure its inaugural title in 2022.
In 2019, he co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) alongside Novak Djokovic. This player-led initiative advocates for the rights and interests of professional tennis players, particularly those operating as independent contractors.
The organization previously filed an antitrust lawsuit against the men’s and women’s tours in March, alleging that the governing bodies of the sport maintain “complete control over players’ earnings and work conditions,” which constitutes anticompetitive practices that violate both state and federal laws.
Pospisil follows fellow Canadian tennis icon Eugenie Bouchard, who also announced her retirement at the NBO after her remarkable run, including a finalist appearance at Wimbledon in 2014.
The NBO events are scheduled to take place from Saturday to August 7.
–with contributions from The Canadian Press
