Family fortunes: Arseneault sibling trio enjoy standout week together
Sibling dynasties are hardly uncommon in tennis, but the Arsenault family are a unique cohort.
Canadian siblings Ariana, Nicolas and Mikael Arseneault all took part in a tournament in the Dominican Republic on the ITF World Tennis Tour this week, with 18-year-old twins Nicolas and Mikael competing in both singles and doubles as a pair at M25 Santo Domingo, and elder sister Ariana playing in the W50 women’s event.
Remarkably, all three won two matches in qualifying and their opening match in the singles main draw. Nicolas, though, was the only one of the three to emerge victorious in the second round.
The twins would have faced each other in the quarter-final of the men’s event, though Nicolas now has the opportunity to avenge his brother’s defeat and book a place in his first ITF men's semi-final when he takes on Great Britain’s Blu Baker on Friday.
The pair will tackle Baker yet again when they combine to face the Brit and American Andrew Fenty in their men’s doubles semi-final later in the day.
It is unchartered territory for the brothers, having never previously reached the last four of an ITF men’s event.
Nicolas is a former junior world No. 42 and his brother a former boys' world No. 105 but while they enjoyed the stronger junior careers, they are still charting a path towards the ATP’s Top 1000 and it is elder sister Ariana who currently holds the bragging rights.
She is ranked inside the WTA Top 600, has won pro doubles titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour, and has recently been called up to the Canadian Billie Jean King Cup squad ahead of next month’s Qualifiers.