Canada Beats Belgium To Qualify for BJK Cup Finals
Team Canada, led by Leylah Annie Fernandez is taking on Team Belgium in the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in Vancouver, BC this weekend.
Canada is on a mission to qualify for the BJK Cup Finals for the 3rd year in a row. In November 2022, they were beaten by eventual champions, Team Switzerland.
Is Bianca Andreescu playing?
No, but Andreescu is present in Vancouver, cheering on the team courtside. Her agent informed The Slice that she was not “quite ready to compete” after rolling her ankle in the Miami Open.
Leylah Fernandez Puts Canada Up 1-0
Fernandez came out of the gate flying, delivering a Canadian bagel to opponent Yanina Wickmayer.
The Canadian played confidently throughout the match, winning 6-0, 6-3. The Belgian did find some ways to hurt Leylah by the end of the match, but by then it was too late.
Fernandez said after the match that she felt great about her game and that she had been working on her serve and first ball a lot in recent weeks. It paid off. She was on the front foot and coming to net confidently throughout.
Bonaventure Levels Tie at 1-1 for Belgium
Belgium’s Ysaline Bonaventure pulled off a come-from-behind win to upset Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino in front of the home crowd.
In a close match throughout, Bonaventure was able to hang with the big-hitting Canadian and capitalize on some nervous serving to come back in the 2nd set from 1-4 down.
Marino served 15 aces (!) but had 10 double faults as well. Live by the sword, die by the sword as they say.
Fernandez Wins Epic To Put Canada Ahead
Leylah Fernandez beats Ysaline Bonaventure in a 3 set affair, having to come from behind after dropping the first set.
It was a grinding match with 114 unforced errors between the two women, and it came down to Leylah being slightly less error-prone than the Belgain in the 3rd set.
Sebov Replaces Marino in 4th Match
Katherine Sebov was substituted for Rebecca Marino, and Belgium’s Minnen Greet was subbed in to compete as well.
The Canadian was not able to make enough inroads with her own serve, only winning 20% of her second serves. The strong return from the Belgian ended up putting too much pressure on the Canadian, and Belgium put the Tie into a 5th-match winner take all scenario with the doubles.
Canadian Doubles Too Strong
via Tennis Canada
Canada was able to make great use of their All-Star doubles player in Grabriella Dabrowski. She teamed up with Leylah Fernandez, who has been playing lots of doubles lately, to sweep the Belgians in straight sets in the Final.
Putting Canada through into the BJK Cup Finals for the 3rd year in a row.