Four of the five Canadians in the singles draw, including defending champion Bianca Andreescu and reigning US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, will get byes in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.
Andreescu is seeded 16th, while Fernandez is No. 23 in the women’s main draw, which begins Wednesday.
Andreescu, from Mississauga, Ont., captured her first career WTA Tour title at the 2019 event. The tournament, considered one of the top events in tennis behind the four Grand Slams, was cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19 and also was moved back from its usual March date this year because of the pandemic.
Bianca’s back and ready to defend the #BNPPO21 @Bandreescu_ pic.twitter.com/8fXiRnUAbf
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 4, 2021
Andreescu will face the winner of a match between American Alison Riske and a qualifier in the second round.
Fernandez, from Laval, Que., will be playing for the first time since losing to Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu. Fernandez will square off with the winner of a match between France’s Alize Cornet and a qualifier in the second round.
New kid on the block #TennisParadise looks good on you @leylahfernandez pic.twitter.com/VWSZRVPOxo
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 3, 2021
On the men’s side, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal is seeded seventh, while Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., is No. 9.
Auger-Aliassime will face the winner of a match between Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the second round.
Shapovalov could face fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil if the unseeded player from Vancouver gets by American J.J. Wolf in the opening round.
Meanwhile, all four Canadians in qualifying action — Brayden Schnur of Pickering, Ont., Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont., Steven Diez of Toronto and Rebecca Marino of Vancouver — lost on Tuesday.
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