Daniel Nestor, Official Miele League Challenge Spokesperson

Daniel Nestor, Canada’s most decorated tennis player of all-time, was recently named the official Miele League Challenge Spokesperson. Read the full press release here The three-year deal has Nestor participating in special Miele League Challenge events, driving excitement around the league and promoting the sport of tennis. His national commitment will assist Miele and Tennis Canada’s efforts in building the Miele League Challenge to it's ultimate potential, promoting the sport of tennis and active living. Jan Heck, president, Miele Limited, chose Daniel as a spokesperson due to Daniel’s dedication and commitment to growing tennis in Canada.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Miele League Challenge and help grow this important part of grassroots tennis,” said Nestor. “A national league is a great concept used by many leading tennis nations, together with Miele, we will grow the Canadian version from coast to coast.”

Highlights of Nestor’s involvement include the following:

• Miele League Challenge contest Grand Prize: an on-court doubles experience with Daniel Nestor for you and two friends;

• Miele league Challenge monthly newsletter contribution: Daniel’s Doubles Tips on a variety of key doubles tactics;

• Various surprise visits to some of Toronto’s regular season league matches;

• Signed Miele League Challenge t-shirts to be given away as prizes throughout the season.

The vision of the Miele League Challenge is to promote league tennis, and to grow a national league system that provides Canadian league tennis players with an opportunity to compete for their province at a national league championship. During the first season, Toronto’s premier tennis leagues and the Ontario Tennis Association helped create awareness around the Challenge through more than 7,000 organized members, 400 teams and more than 100 clubs. Top men’s, women’s and mixed league teams were given the opportunity to play at the 2008 Rogers Cup in Toronto. This year will see the Quebec Tennis Federation and a number of Montreal’s leagues join in the Miele League Challenge experience.

2009 Highlights

• A monthly newsletter featuring leagues across the country and profiling league players. Don’t forget to submit your story;

• Miele league Challenge Ambassadors in Toronto will be visiting league matches weekly to collect stories, take photos and handout prizes. Look for yourself online;

• A fantastic contest, open to all Canadian league players, offering great prizes from Miele Limited, Daniel Nestor and Tennis Canada;

• Toronto Men’s League A1 division winner versus Montreal’s Ligue Nationale de Tennis du Québec winner on Saturday, August 15 at Coupe Rogers in Montreal;

• Toronto Ladies League daytime division one winner versus Montreal’s Tennis Féminin Interclub de Montréal division two winner on Saturday, August 22 at Rogers Cup in Toronto;

• InterCounty Tennis Association league matches will be showcased on Sunday, August 23 at Rogers Cup in Toronto;

• Select Rogers Cup matches will be webcast live;

• See further down below for special appearances and activities with official spokesperson Daniel Nestor.

Future Plans

In 2010, the Miele League Challenge will expand into an official National League Challenge involving teams from across the country. Men’s and women’s teams, each comprised of two doubles positions and one singles position, will be encouraged to participate in regional qualifiers organized by Tennis Canada and their provincial tennis associations.

The inaugural 2010 Miele National League Challenge will feature teams at the Play Tennis self-rating guide 3.5 level. Teams who win their regional qualifiers will be invited to compete for the National Championship title in Toronto in the fall of 2010. More levels will be added in subsequent years until there are national league champions from the 3.0 to the 5.5 level.

Contact mieleleaguechallenge@tenniscanada.com for help on how to start a league in your area.