Equality on the Court: Women's Sports Are on the Rise

18 August 2025 by National Bank La Presse

As the spotlight shines on the tennis courts where the world's top female players are battling for victory, one issue remains too often overlooked: equity in sports, regardless of athletes' gender.

In tennis, the difference is evident in earnings and in participation, from the professional circuit to neighbourhood courts. Lucie Blanchet and Jennifer Plenert explain how National Bank is working to reverse this trend and sustainably advance women's sports.

For 20 years, National Bank has supported the development of tennis across the country through its partnership with Tennis Canada. In 2021, the Bank renewed this partnership for another ten years, making it the longest corporate agreement in the history of Canadian tennis.

This article was first published in La Presse XTRA on June 13, 2025.

In this article:

Fostering female talent and role models
Pay gap: Laying the groundwork for equity
A meaningful approach

"Making this commitment was a very intentional decision. We know that long-term engagement will help increase the scope of our impact," says Lucie Blanchet, executive vice-president, personal banking and client experience, National Bank.

Fostering female talent and role models

The National Bank Open is one of the most iconic showcases for the sponsorship, but the Bank's commitment goes well beyond this annual event. Through impactful initiatives like Game. Set. Equity., Tennis Canada and National Bank are paving the way for more female players, coaches, fitness trainers and leaders across the entire tennis ecosystem.

"Sports are a powerful driver of social change,” says Jennifer Plenert, senior vice-president, national manager, Ontario region, National Bank Financial Wealth Management (NBFWM). “They build confidence and resilience, improve physical and mental health and create real leadership opportunities for women and especially for young girls.”

Jennifer Plenert leader at National Bank

Across the country, the Game. Set. Equity. program promotes female participation in recreational and competitive tennis alike. The results speak for themselves: the percentage of female players jumped from 29 per cent in 2021 to 46 per cent in 2024.¹ This significant progress reflects the real impact of the program's efforts on and off the court.

Pay gap: Laying the groundwork for equity

In 2027, the National Bank Open will take a historic step by offering equal prize money to male and female players. "A cornerstone of the partnership with Tennis Canada was to implement a concrete plan to achieve prize money equality for male and female tournament participants," says Blanchet.

Prize money will gradually increase to close the gap between female and male athletes. For this year's edition of the Open, women's prize money represents 56 per cent of the men's, compared to 32 per cent last year.

"Achieving equity sends a powerful message to young girls," says Blanchet. "It shows that it's possible to pursue your passion and that athletes' efforts deserve equal financial recognition, regardless of gender."

Plenert states, "equity in women's sports should not be a privilege, but the norm."

To highlight ongoing inequalities in the sport, many people wore mismatched tennis socks with different heights during the tournament as part of the Inequality Socks campaign.

A meaningful approach

Supporting women's sports is part of National Bank's broader vision for inclusion and diversity, and reflects its commitment to women's advancement. "It's part of our values and corporate culture, and has been for many years," says Lucie Blanchet, who also chairs the organization's Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Council. "We want to have a concrete impact on our employees, our clients and society as a whole."

Jennifer Plenert agrees: "We see our role as going well beyond that of just a sponsor. We aim to be a true catalyst for positive change and progress in the communities we serve."

This article was also published on Maclean’s on August 11^th, 2025.

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