The W50 professional tennis tournament in Quebec City produced a notable showing for Canadian players as Ariana Arseneault advanced to the semifinals in singles and paired with Raphaëlle Lacasse to contest the doubles final.
Arseneault’s singles surge
The 24-year-old from Richmond Hill, ranked world No. 352, opened her campaign by upsetting second seed Justina Mikulskyte of Lithuania in convincing fashion, 6-1, 6-1. She followed that victory with straight-set wins over higher-ranked opposition, including an eighth-seeded Ayana Akli of the United States, to secure a place in the last four.
Arseneault’s run ended in the semifinals against Mimi Xu of Great Britain. The tournament title, however, was claimed by fourth seed Kajsa Rinaldo Persson of Sweden, who defeated Xu 6-4, 6-2 in the final — the Swede’s first trophy of the season.
Doubles: final appearance, narrow defeat
On the doubles court, Arseneault teamed with Raphaëlle Lacasse and the pair were dominant through their first two matches, surrendering only nine games across those victories. They survived a tight semifinal that went to a match tiebreak against Japan’s Hiromi Abe and Kisa Yoshioka to reach the championship match.
In the final, Arseneault and Lacasse rallied from a set down to force a decider by winning a second-set tiebreak, but ultimately fell 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-7 to the American–British duo of Reese Brantmeier and Mimi Xu.
"hoist the trophy, the Swede’s first of the season."
Context and local significance
Quebec City hosted a competitive ITF W50 event that drew international entrants and offered local tennis fans a chance to see rising and established players in person. Of the Canadian entries highlighted in the draw, Arseneault stood out as the only player to record multiple singles victories in the capital.
Other Canadians who won opening matches in Quebec City included Françoise Abanda, who eliminated top seed Katherine Sebov, and third seed Cadence Brace. Still, those players did not string together additional wins as Arseneault did, underscoring the depth and unpredictability of the ITF circuit.
- Singles semifinalist: Ariana Arseneault (Richmond Hill), world No. 352
- Doubles finalist pairing: Ariana Arseneault / Raphaëlle Lacasse
- Singles champion: Kajsa Rinaldo Persson (Sweden) — 6-4, 6-2 over Mimi Xu
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| Singles (Arseneault) | Semifinalist — lost to Mimi Xu |
| Doubles (Arseneault/Lacasse) | Finalists — lost 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-7 |
| Singles champion | Kajsa Rinaldo Persson |
For Quebec City tennis followers, the tournament offered a brief showcase of Canadian talent on home soil and highlighted Ariane Arseneault’s ability to challenge seeded players at the ITF W50 level. Her doubles partnership with Lacasse also demonstrated resilience by overcoming a set deficit in the final, even if it fell short in the match tiebreak.
As the ITF calendar progresses, performances such as Arseneault’s in Quebec City can translate into valuable ranking points and momentum for players aiming to move up the professional ladder and secure entry into higher-level events.
