TORONTO/STARNBERG, July 14, 2025

On Sunday, Liam Draxl of Canada defeated Belgium’s Alexander Blockx 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match of the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger, claiming not only his first singles title of the season but also clinching the Road to the NBO wild card. Draxl’s success on home soil since the competition began last October, including titles in Edmonton, Saint-Augustin, and now Winnipeg, has earned him a spot in the main draw of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto.

Maple masterclass in Winnipeg! @liamdraxl turns it around in style, taking down top seed Blockx 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to claim his third Challenger title! #ATPChallenger | @TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/gjQ8KA29Au

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 13, 2025

“I’m so excited to be playing in my first-ever ATP main draw, in front of my friends and family too, in case it wasn’t cool enough already,” said Draxl. “I’d like to thank the fans and the organizing committee in Winnipeg for a fantastic week. As you know, the stakes were even higher for me this week, with the possibility of clinching my spot at the National Bank Open, and I’m just so happy to have come through in today’s match. Toronto, I can’t wait to play in front of you!”

Draxl began his journey to the title by taking on three Japanese players, Hiroki Moriya, Kenta Miyoshi and Rio Noguchi. The matches against Moriya and Noguchi were wrapped up in two quick sets, but the Newmarket native had to survive a three-set 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 battle with Miyoshi in the round of 16. In the semi-finals, Draxl eliminated China’s Yi Zhou 6-2, 6-4, before defeating Blockx in a thrilling two-hour final to win the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger. The singles title is the ninth of Draxl’s career, and his second in an ATP Challenger Tour tournament after Calgary 2023.

He earned $14,200 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points, reaching a new career high of World No. 121.