After a one-year hiatus, the ATP Challenger Tour is back in western Canada for the 12th edition of the Odlum Brown VanOpen. Under the helm of new tournament director and 2006 champion Rik de Voest, they picked up right where they left off.

The bustling Canadian metropolis of Vancouver has welcomed world-class tennis for more than a decade and the players have taken notice. Seven of the eight seeds featured in this week’s draw are in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, with World No. 79 Jordan Thompson and a resurgent Cedrik-Marcel Stebe slated to square off for the title on Sunday.

“It’s been great,” said Thompson, who is into his second ATP Challenger Tour final in less than a month, following a runner-up finish in Binghamton. “It’s one of the best Challengers in my book. Obviously you can’t beat the view from the top of the club. It’s just amazing and the people have been really nice and helpful here.”

Located at the multi-million dollar sports centre at Hollyburn Country Club in the beautiful suburb of West Vancouver, the venue offers some of the more picturesque views on the ATP Challenger Tour. Surrounded by the Howe Sound and Coast Mountains, players visiting Hollyburn have not only been treated to a world-class and opulent facility, but a relaxing retreat during the hectic summer hard-court season.

It’s one of the more picturesque skyline views on the #ATPChallenger Tour. @vanopentennis welcomes fans on SF Saturday at the Hollyburn CC. pic.twitter.com/EHiGwaUSfT

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 19, 2017

And perhaps the tournament’s greatest feature is the housing it offers its players. Traveling throughout the season can take its toll both physically and emotionally. A slice of home life on the road is always welcomed and with Hollyburn members opening their doors – and fast cars – players are treated to some of the finest hospitality the tour has to offer. Quarter-finalist Liam Broady is grateful for his host family, the Christiansens.

“They’ve housed a couple of English guys in the past and it definitely gets your adrenaline running in the morning when you’re coming in a fast car. It’s all fun,” Broady told ATPWorldTour.com. “The housing I have received at other events has always been great but the host family I have had here are fantastic. They have a beautiful home and are an amazing help throughout the tournament in any way they can.

“This is personally my favourite tournament of the year for many reasons. The host families are amazing and so is the club and the city of Vancouver. I know a lot of players feel the same way. Everybody was sad to see it off the calendar for 2016. Thankfully this year it was back bigger and better than ever. Hopefully it will be back again next year and in the years to come.”

Taro Daniel ?? is enjoying the beautiful waters of #WestVancouver this week at the Odlum Brown #VanOpen! #bestplayerhousing #ATP pic.twitter.com/MZpj2vNtn5

— Odlum Brown VanOpen (@vanopentennis) August 17, 2017

Broady upset top seed and four-time champion Dudi Sela in the second round, en route to his third Challenger quarter-final of the season and a projected return to the Top 250 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. The tournament also featured the final professional singles match of Canadian stalwart Philip Bester’s career, as well as a slew of #NextGenATP stars – six in total – looking to continue their ascents.

“It’s been really great,” said American teen Taylor Fritz, who also reached the quarter-finals. “This is definitely one of the nicest Challengers I’ve been to. With the attendance so high, the second I stepped on the Centre Court I was thinking that it feels like an ATP World Tour centre court. It’s really nice and the club’s great too. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

“I think it’s an amazing tournament for a Challenger,” added Austria’s Sebastian Ofner. “It’s not a big difference from an ATP tournament and the location is very nice. I also like the housing so you can live with someone. It’s just a very good tournament.”

On Sunday, second seed Thompson will vie for his fifth Challenger title and first of the year against former World No. 71 Stebe, who continues to plot his return to the Top 100 after missing nearly three years following hip surgery. The inspiring 26 year old was ranked outside the Top 500 a year ago and is into his third final of 2017, seeking a second title (Poprad Tatry).

Stay connected with the Odlum Brown VanOpen throughout the year at vanopen.com and check out their daily podcasts from the tournament, featuring player interviews and more.

View FedEx ATP Head2Head matchups for the Western & Southern Open final and vote for who you think will win!

Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov

No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov and unseeded Nick Kyrgios will meet at the Western & Southern Open on Sunday in the biggest final of their respective careers. Not since Guillermo Canas defeated Andy Roddick at 2002 Toronto have two first-time ATP Masters 1000 finalists met for an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title. The Bulgarian and Aussie are also contesting the first Masters 1000, Nitto ATP Finals or Grand Slam championship match between players born in the 1990s.

Dimitrov lost three Masters 1000 and two Grand Slam semi-finals before breaking through Saturday with a 7-6(4), 7-6(10) win over John Isner. The 26-year-old has been broken once all week, posting four straight wins for the first time since starting the season 16-1.

Dimitrov has won one ATP World Tour 500 and five ATP World Tour 250 titles, while Kyrgios has won one ATP World Tour 500 and two ATP World Tour 250 titles. Both Dimitrov and Kyrgios are 23-6 on hard courts in 2017, tying them with Roger Federer and Jack Sock for most wins on the surface this season.

Kyrgios, who also won his semi-final in two tie-breaks, bids to become the first unseeded Cincinnati champion in the Open Era and the first unseeded Masters 1000 champion since David Nalbandian at 2007 Paris. The World No. 23 would be the lowest-ranked Cincinnati champion since No. 49 Tom Gorman in 1975 and Masters 1000 champion since No. 26 Ivan Ljubicic at 2010 Indian Wells. Kyrgios, 22, is the youngest Cincinnati finalist since Novak Djokovic in 2009 and would be the youngest Cincinnati champion since Andy Murray one year earlier.

No. 3 seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares face No. 5 seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in a doubles final featuring the last two US Open champions. Either Murray or Mahut will win his 20th ATP World Tour doubles title. Murray also seeks his first Masters 1000 title. Herbert and Mahut are 5-1 in ATP Masters 1000 finals, including a title last week in Montreal.

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS BETWEEN PLAYERS BORN IN 1990S

YEAR TOURNAMENT LEVEL FINAL

2017 Cincinnati 1000 Grigor Dimitrov vs. Nick Kyrgios

2017 Munich 250 Alexander Zverev d. Guido Pella

2017 Rio de Janeiro 500 Dominic Thiem d. Pablo Carreno Busta

2017 Memphis 250 Ryan Harrison d. Nikoloz Basilashvili

2017 Sofia 250 Grigor Dimitrov d. David Goffin

2016 Tokyo 500 Nick Kyrgios d. David Goffin

2016 Metz 250 Lucas Pouille d. Dominic Thiem

2016 Nice 250 Dominic Thiem d. Alexander Zverev

2016 Istanbul 250 Diego Schwartzman d. Grigor Dimitrov

2016 Marrakech 250 Federico Delbonis d. Borna Coric

2016 Acapulco 500 Dominic Thiem d. Bernard Tomic

2015 Gstaad 250 Dominic Thiem d. David Goffin

2014 Washington 500 Milos Raonic d. Vasek Pospisil

2014 Kitzbuehel 250 David Goffin d. Dominic Thiem

EMIRATES ATP RANKING POINTS AND PRIZE MONEY

INFOSYS ATP SCORES & STATS

If he was away, Nick Kyrgios is without a doubt back, and he’s never been in a better position.

The 22-year-old Aussie reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final on Saturday, beating Spanish veteran David Ferrer 7-6(3), 7-6(4) at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The semi-final win marks the second consecutive victory against a Spanish great for Kyrgios, who upset incoming-World No. 1 Rafael Nadal 24 hours earlier.

“He was a nightmare to play, especially because I’m a tall guy and he’s not the tallest guy. He hits the ball pretty flat. The whole time there is nothing shoulder height for me to hit. I’m always trying to hit underneath and trying to hit up and over it,” Kyrgios said.

“It’s a tough matchup for me. I thought today I didn’t play my best tennis. I certainly didn’t serve great during the set. In the tie-breaks I served well, but I definitely didn’t bring my best tennis today. I’m just really proud that I managed to scrap out the win.”

Kyrgios will play in his first title match of the season on Sunday when he faces Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who prevailed 7-6(4), 7-6(10) against John Isner of the U.S. There were no service breaks in either semi-final. “I’m going to go out there and compete and try to serve big and play big. Whatever happens, happens,” Kyrgios said. 

Dimitrov will also be playing in his first Masters 1000 title match. The 26 year old beat Kyrgios in their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, a three-set win at 2015 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

But Kyrgios, who has struggled with hip and shoulder injuries the past two months, looks to be healthy and close to the level that saw him reach the Miami Open presented by Itau semi-finals in March, his other Masters 1000 semi-final (l. to Federer) this season.

Against Ferrer, who reached 2014 Cincinnati final, Kyrgios chased down ball after ball as the 35-year-old Spaniard pulled him from side to side in the opening set. Kyrgios came through in the tie-break, though, benefitting from a Ferrer double fault at 1/2 and unloading his serve-forehand combination to gain a one-set lead.

Read More: My Masters 1000: Roddick

He played more comfortably in the second set, seeing two break points at 2-2 but failing to convert. With Ferrer serving at 5-6, Kyrgios would get another chance when he ripped a forehand past Ferrer to earn a match point. Yet the gutsy Ferrer erased it and held.

They headed to another tie-break, where Kyrgios dominated. The Aussie hit his 13^th and 14^th aces to bring up three match points. He’d need only two as Ferrer lifted a backhand wide to put Kyrgios into the Cincinnati title match.

1. Best in Class: The Winston-Salem Open, the final men’s event in the US Open Series, was voted by players as the 2016 ATP World Tour 250 Tournament of the Year along with the If Stockholm Open.

2. Back on Top: Last year’s finalists, Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, are the top two seeds. Carreno Busta won his first ATP World Tour by rallying past his countryman 6-7(6), 7-6(1), 6-4 in the longest final by games in tournament history. Bautista Agut is the No. 1 seed for third time at an ATP World Tour tournament (2016 Sofia champion and 2016 Moscow second round).

3. Past Finalists: Carreno Busta and Bautista Agut are joined in the draw by 2011 and 2012 champion John Isner, 2011 runner-up Julien Benneteau and 2015 finalist Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Kevin Anderson, the 2015 champion, withdrew on Saturday due to a right elbow injury.

4. Reigning Champion: Carreno Busta was 49th in the Emirates ATP Rankings and without an ATP World Tour singles title entering the 2016 Winston-Salem Open. He’s 46-23 since then, adding to his Winston-Salem title with two more at Moscow and Estoril. The Spaniard achieved a new career-high ranking eight times in 2016 and nine times thus far in 2017, peaking at No. 15 on 24 July.

5. Hometown Hero: Isner, a North Carolina native, is 12-0 in matches and 8-0 in tie-breaks at the Winston-Salem Open, winning titles in 2011 and 2012. The No. 1 American and No. 3 seed returns to his home event for the first time since conceding a walkover in the 2014 quarter-finals. Isner won titles at Newport and Atlanta last month, holding in 146 of 149 service games since 19 July (98 per cent).

6. Fab Five: Five #NextGenATP players are in the draw and eager to earn points in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan. American Taylor Fritz received a wild card this week, while No. 13 seed Hyeon Chung, No. 14 seed Borna Coric and No. 15 seed Daniil Medvedev received first-round byes. Unseeded Andrey Rublev broke into the Top 50 on July 24 after winning his first title at Umag.

See Who’s Leading The Emirates ATP Race To Milan

7. Wild Title Hopes: Wild cards are 6-3 in ATP World Tour finals this season. Hoping to become the seventh wild card champion of 2017 are Fritz, Coric, Ernests Gulbis and Wake Forest junior Petros Chrysochos. The 21-year-old Chrysochos is a two-time All-American and a Davis Cup teammate of Marcos Baghdatis, who is making his fifth Winston-Salem appearance this week.

8. All-Time Leader: Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei has earned more victories at the Winston-Salem Open than any other player in the tournament’s first six years (2011-16). Lu is 13-4 at the event with a semi-final finish in 2014 and runs to the quarter-finals in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

9. Season of Firsts: No. 10 seed Yuichi Sugita won his first ATP World Tour title in his first final and following his first semi-final at the Antalya Turkey Open. After breaking into the Top 50 on 3 July, Sugita earned his first Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon and reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

10. Still Going Strong: Daniel Nestor and Leander Paes, the 2013 doubles champions, are returning at the age of 44 with different partners — Nestor with Dominic Inglot and Paes with Purav Raja.

Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut continued their ruthless run through the North American summer ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, improving to 7-0 with a 6-4, 7-6(9) win against Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus in the Western & Southern Open semi-finals.

Herbert and Mahut lifted the trophy at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal last week and will battle for their 10th team title on Sunday against Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares. Herbert/Mahut are also bidding for a sixth Masters 1000 crown together, all at different tournaments.

The last team to win in Canada and Cincinnati in the same season was Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo, who accomplished the feat last year.

The fifth seeds needed one hour and 35 minutes to dispatch Harrison and Venus, converting their fifth match point. They fired eight aces, while saving the lone break point faced.

Earlier on Saturday, Murray and Soares advanced to their 10th final as a team, downing Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo 6-4, 7-5 in Cincinnati. There were just two break points in the one-hour and 22-minute affair and the British-Brazilian duo converted both.

Murray and Soares will vie for their first Masters 1000 title together, appearing in a third such final. They finished runners-up in both Monte-Carlo and Toronto in 2016. The team is 3-1 in ATP World Tour finals this year, however, having won three straight title matches in Acapulco, Stuttgart and The Queen’s Club.

It has been a dominant week for Murray and Soares, who have not dropped a set en route to the final. They got their revenge over Kubot and Melo on Saturday, having dropped both previous encounters this year at the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.