Luciano Darderi, Marcos Giron amongst ATP stars to commerce racquet for hockey stick in Montreal | ATP Tour

Montreal

Darderi, Giron amongst ATP stars to commerce racquet for hockey stick in Montreal

Canadians Galarneau, Pospisil additionally joined the enjoyable

August 04, 2024

ATP Tour stars traded racquets for sticks on Saturday forward of the Nationwide Financial institution Open Offered by Rogers within the annual ATP Masters 1000 Canada ball hockey sport.

Nuno Borges, Luciano Darderi, Alexis Galarneau, Marcos Giron, Miomir Kecmanovic and Vasek Pospisil performed a workforce of PWHL stars and a ball hockey professional in an exhilarating sport. The hockey standouts ultimately gained in a nail-biting shootout.

“It’s wonderful. It was very humbling. It’s enjoyable to play although,” Giron mentioned. “We all the time play tennis, however I feel all of us tennis gamers grew up enjoying different sports activities and it’s all the time enjoyable to provide it a shot in one other factor. However the hockey stick doesn’t fairly really feel like an extension of the arm like a tennis racquet does.”

Marcos Giron performs ball hockey Saturday in Montreal.”>
^{Marcos Giron shoots on internet throughout Saturday’s sport.} 
Borges had by no means beforehand performed hockey, however had a good time making an attempt to be taught the game.

“The truth that we struggled a lot, a minimum of me, I wished to maintain enjoying to enhance as a result of I couldn’t hit the ball. It was actually onerous,” Borges mentioned. “You’d suppose we’d have slightly benefit simply realizing learn how to deal with a racquet as an extension, however the stick is completely totally different. It was enjoyable making an attempt out a brand new sport with all of the totally different gear, the gloves. It’s cool experimenting with stuff. I had a variety of enjoyable.”

Alexis Galarneau performs ball hockey Saturday in Montreal.”>
^{Alexis Galarneau enjoys competing within the ball hockey sport.}
The tennis gamers loved loads of laughs all through. Darderi, who’s No. 34 within the PIF ATP Rankings, had by no means performed both. But by the top of the sport he had grown snug sufficient to make a highlight-reel help by passing the ball above the web to a teammate, who put it previous the goalie.

Tennis racquets again in hand, the event’s principal draw will start Tuesday.