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Vernon’s Vasek Pospisil wins comeback award
Canada’s Vasek Pospisil has been named the ATP Tour’s comeback player of the year.
Pospisil, from Vernon, reached two tournament finals during the abbreviated 2020 season after undergoing back surgery last year.
Ranked 150th last year, Pospisil has climbed to No. 61. A former world No. 25, Pospisil was sidelined for much of 2019.
The 30-year-old Pospisil reached the final at the Open Sud de France before the COVID-19 pandemic started and matched the feat in November at the Sofia Open in Bulgaria.
Pospisil also reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open after wins over No. 11 Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain and No. 18 Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., at the Grand Slam in New York.
Kevin Anderson of South Africa, Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia and
Raonic also were nominated for comeback player of the year.
Players vote for the comeback player of the year award.
Other award winners were Russia’s Andrey Rublev (most improved player); Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz (newcomer of the year); Spain’s Rafael Nadal (Edberg Sportsmanship Award); American Francis Tiafoe (Ashe Humanitarian Award); Switzerland’s Rogers Federer (Fans’ Favourite Award, singles); Britain’s Jamie Murray and Neal
Skupski (Fans’ Favourite Award, doubles); Fernando Vicente (coach of the year); Bob Brett (Tim Gullikson Career Coach Award); and Kevin Mitchell (Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award).
Ontario, Manitoba cancel curling playdowns
Ontario and Manitoba followed Northern Ontario’s lead on Monday by cancelling their respective provincial curling championships.
Ontario declared that last season’s winners would represent the province at the national championships in the Calgary bubble later this season. Team John Epping will play for Ontario at the Tim Hortons Brier and Team Rachel Homan will wear Ontario colours at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Teams will compete in a bubble setting at Markin MacPhail Centre. Dates haven’t been finalized but the Scotties is expected to begin around Feb. 19.
“It will be a different Scotties for sure but we’re so excited to be able to represent Ontario,” Homan said. “We’re thankful that we’re able to go and represent and hopefully do Ontario proud.”
Manitoba announced its playdowns were cancelled Monday but did not immediately state its team picks for nationals. Northern Ontario cancelled its playdowns earlier this month.
Team Brad Jacobs will return to the Brier and Team Krysta Burns accepted an invite from Northern Ontario.