Odlum Brown Van Open A Huge Success

In a test of patience and composure, American J.J. Wolf put on a clinical performance to claim the Odlum Brown VanOpen men’s singles championship, defeating eighth seed Mark Lajal of Estonia 7-5, 6-1.

The championship match was an endurance battle against both opponents and climate a short 62 minutes into a highly contested opening set which at times was halted due to rain. 

After two subsequent weather delays, ATP officials made the decision to move the final to the indoor courts at Hollyburn Country Club. 

The venue change suited Wolf perfectly, as the American elevated his game under the roof to seal the victory in one hour and 34 minutes of total match time.

For Wolf, navigating the transition to indoor courts felt natural, crediting his roots in Ohio for his comfort level under the roof.

“We’ve got four seasons in Cincinnati, so there was a lot of indoor tennis going on,” Wolf said following the win. “We’ve got clubs everywhere. I think we both played a good amount of indoor tennis growing up, but at least I was very comfortable (inside) here. I think it would have been a great match either way.”

Before the weather disruptions, the opening set was a tightly fought battle of serves. Lajal relied on his heavy delivery – firing nine aces throughout the match – to keep Wolf at bay early on. However, Wolf was lethal behind his first serve, winning 84 percent of those points and maintaining steady pressure on return.

After snatching the opening set 7-5, Wolf seized total control once play moved indoors. The Cincinnati native broke Lajal’s serve five times on nine opportunities while winning 66 percent of his second serve return points to mow through the second set 6-1. In total, 

Wolf won 58 percent of the points contested, capitalizing on five double faults from Lajal to seal the title.

Wolf viewed the victory in Vancouver as a key milestone in his broader comeback journey over the last 18 months.

“A lot has gone into this week,” Wolf reflected. “This isn’t the end goal. It’s a very good stepping stone. But so much behind-the-scenes work has gone on for the past year and a half to get me here. Hasn’t been the easiest road, but I’ve got a lot of good people behind me keeping my head in the right place.”

With the Vancouver crown secured, Wolf now turns his focus toward a cherished stop on the calendar – his home tournament at the Cincinnati Open, where he aims to win after receiving a wild card entry.

“Definitely, that’s the pinnacle for me always,” Wolf added as he looked ahead to the next steps. “Cincinnati is my favourite tournament. It’s where I grew up. We’re going to go back to Florida, train for a little bit, take a day off maybe, and then head to Cincy.”

WOMEN’S FINAL

In an all-Australian showdown at Hollyburn Country Club, third seed Taylah Preston captured the Odlum Brown VanOpen women’s singles championship with a commanding 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over eighth seed Madison Inglis. The 89-minute match crowned Preston as a WTA 125 champion following a week of excellent tennis.

The opening set was a battle of endurance and composure, with both players holding firm under pressure to push the score to 6-6 before Preston seized control in the tiebreak.

“It was a really tough first set,” Preston said of the opener. “I had a couple chances earlier… but I think (by) just sticking to what I was doing, not worrying about that, and just focusing on what I could do in that tiebreak and just staying on task really helped. I was able to get through it.”

That discipline paid off throughout the match, particularly on the return noting that both players generated multiple break opportunities, Preston converted on four of her six break point chances and dominated on Inglis’ second serve, winning 62.5 percent of those points. 

Preston was also clutch on defence, saving six of the nine break points she faced to seal the victory.

Facing a familiar opponent in her fellow Perth native made the victory all the more meaningful for the newly crowned champion.

“I always knew it was going to be a tricky match. Maddison has been playing unbelievable this year and especially throughout this week,” Preston noted. “So I knew it was going to be tough and I was going to have to be ready to play. But I’ve had a lot of really great matches that set me up well for this one, and I was just really happy to get there.”

Beyond the trophy and ranking points, the win is big for the 20-year-old’s burgeoning career – and a reflection of the dedication behind the scenes.

“It means so much,” Preston shared. “(My coach and I) have been putting in a lot of hard work, you know, showing up every day and just working hard. So to be able to see it paying off is great and I’m super grateful.”

The championship also highlights an inspirational moment for the rising Australian star, who hopes her success on the court can inspire young athletes coming up behind her.

“It’s amazing. I think that’s one of the best parts about playing is we get to inspire so many young girls, just like girls like (Maddison) did for me, especially both being from Perth,” she reflected. “So, if I can inspire more young girls to pick up a racket and to play, I think that’s really amazing.”

Though winning the title meant sacrificing playing at the National Bank Open in Toronto, Preston is focused squarely on momentum as her summer continues.

“I’m really excited for what’s coming up,” Preston added. “Unfortunately, I missed out on Toronto because I was still playing here, but (there are) still a lot of exciting tournaments coming up, and I’m looking forward to it.”

MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL

In a thrilling final, second seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow capped off a solid week at Hollyburn Country Club by capturing the Odlum Brown VanOpen men’s doubles championship on Saturday. 

The American duo outlasted the collegiate pairing of Dylan Milavsky and Benjamin Shick in a 7-6(7), 7-6(1) victory lasting 88 minutes.

The title victory marks the pair’s second championship in three weeks, signalling a decisive turnaround after a challenging stretch on tour.

“It’s been a tough year and a half for us just results-wise and struggling a little bit,” Withrow admitted after letting out a triumphant roar upon clinching match point. “Now we’ve had two titles in three weeks and starting to feel good about myself again and feeling good as a team. So just trying to keep the good energy. We enjoyed this week. It was incredible having the great fans out, great atmosphere.”

Facing off against Milavsky and Shick – who entered the final after some good singles results earlier in the week in addition to their doubles run – Lammons and Withrow knew they were in for a dogfight.

Lammons and Withrow were nearly impenetrable on their delivery, winning 89 percent of their first-serve points and 80 percent on second serves while saving both break points faced. Milavsky and Shick matched that resilience, erasing both break points against them to keep the match deadlocked.

Lammons credited their opponents’ form and chemistry for making the final such a tight contest.

“They had a deep run in singles as well, and they’ve played and had a lot of success with each other this year, so they’re kind of on a hot streak,” he noted.

Continuing on he mentioned “Jackson mentioned they were 10-0 in tiebreaks leading up to this match. Good tennis players serve well – they played in school, so they know a lot about (doubles).”

Having gone winless in previous visits to Vancouver, lifting the trophy at Hollyburn Country Club was a special milestone for both players before taking a well-deserved breather.

“It’s an amazing week – great host, great tournament organization, a lot of familiar faces,” Lammons reflected. “Jackson mentioned that we hadn’t won a match here before, so it’s great to get one, let alone four (this week). Getting a bigger title, getting a triple-digit score on the scorecards, is no small thing. We look forward to keeping that going.”

Official ATP and WTA draws and results are available at http://www.vanopen.com.