Participation has grown rapidly in a Sarnia tennis tournament organized in memory of Justin Bourassa.<\/p>\n
Published Jul 16, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n
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A memorial fund has been established in memory of former Sarnia tennis pro Justin Bourassa. HandoutArticle content<\/p>\n
Participation has grown rapidly in a Sarnia tennis tournament organized in memory of Justin Bourassa.<\/p>\n
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The second annual Love-All: Justin Bourassa Memorial Tennis Tournament runs Friday to Sunday at the Sarnia Tennis Club, 700 Christine St. N.<\/p>\n
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About 35 competitors took part in last year\u2019s tournament, said organizer Matt Mueller.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just building off of that this year,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got double the entries\u201d and \u201chigher calibre players. It\u2019s going to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Competitors attended from London, Waterloo and other parts of the region the first year and the tournament\u2019s atmosphere and \u201csense of community\u201d generated positive word of mouth drawing interest for the second year, Mueller said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were telling all their friends and family about it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s got a really good vibe to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proceeds from the tournament go to Love-All, an endowment created in memory of Bourassa who died in 2021.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt gets racquets into kids\u2019 hands that can\u2019t afford it,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cIt helps with training costs for instructors to get certified\u201d and \u201ca lot of local programs,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s ultimately to grow the game in Sarnia-Lambton.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tennis \u201ctotally changed the course of my life,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cIt gives people something to do\u201d and gets them \u201coutside and active\u201d all through their lives, he said. \u201cPeople can be on the courts at three years old and 90 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n
Play begins Friday at 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m., with about $6,000 in prizes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got people coming in from the States,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cThere\u2019s a guy flying in from Calgary. We\u2019ve got people from Quebec.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s competitors also include about six current or former Division 1 NCAA Canadian players who have been competing in the U.S., he said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s going to be the highest-level tennis that Sarnia has ever seen,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m really stoked for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no cost to watch the weekend\u2019s tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to get a huge turnout,\u201d Mueller said. Spectators are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.<\/p>\n
Sunday, there will be a silent auction and barbecue spectators can take part in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s going to be great tennis, all throughout,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Information about the memorial fund can be found at love-all.ca<\/a><\/p>\n Bourassa was a certified instructor, pro and coach at the Sarnia Tennis Club.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was the nicest guy ever,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cHe genuinely loved tennis and loved growing the game with people of all ages.\u201d<\/p>\n