SEVILLE, Spain – Leylah Fernandez beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday to win Canada’s first name in the Billie Jean King Cup final.
Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ontario, beat Martina Trevisan 7-5, 6-3 the day before to give Canada the lead in the best-of-three game on indoor hard court at Cartuja Stadium in Los Angeles.
“It’s unbelievable and I’m incredibly proud to have been able to build Canada on the biggest stage,” Fernandez said in an on-field interview. “To do it in front of Billie Jean, it means everything to me, to us and to us. “
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Earlier in the week, Canada clinched the top spot in Group C with wins over Spain and hosts Poland. A 2-1 win over Czechia in the semifinals followed, with Ottawa’s Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski tying the game at 7-5, 7. -6 (3) victory in the doubles match.
At 5-0, Fernandez was a mainstay for Canada during the week. Stakusic, a virtual unknown entering the 12-team tournament, has emerged as a standout player and Dabrowski was an anchor in the doubles game.
The lineup, led by Heidi el Tabakh, included Montreal’s Eugénie Bouchard and Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino.
“We’ve had a week and to finish it by winning the Billie Jean King Cup is a dream come true,” El Tabakh said.
Canada is missing 2019 U. S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario, who is suffering from a back injury.
Canada’s performance in the tournament came in 1988, when they reached the semi-finals before losing to Czechoslovakia. Canada failed to leave the organization last year in Glasgow.
Switzerland stepped up and beat Australia in the 2022 final.
Fernandez, a 2021 U. S. Open finalist from Laval, Que. , broke Paolini’s serve on the final attack to seal victory in one hour and 39 minutes. The 18-year-old Stakusic, ranked No. 258 in the world, defeated No. 43 Trevisan at 1:47 to 3-1 this week.
Canada, the 13th country to win the Billie Jean King Cup, a victory worth $2. 4 million in prize money. Team members also earned Billie Blue jackets as champions of the annual Women’s Team Tennis Championships.
Italy was looking for its fifth name and first since 2013.
Canada is the protective champion in the men’s team event. Spain will host the Final 8 of the Davis Cup final from November 21 to 26 in Malaga.
Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal leads a Canadian team consisting of Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ontario, Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B. C. , Gabriel Diallo of Montreal and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que.
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