(Vancouver) Canada will return to the Billie-Jean-King Cup finals after beating Belgium 3-2 in their qualifier on Saturday night.
Leylah Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski sealed Canada’s ticket with a straight-set, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Kirsten Flipkens and Greet Minnen in doubles.
It is the first time in four matches that Canada has beaten Belgium at the Women’s Tennis World Cup.
Previously, Belgium’s Greet Minnen defeated Canada’s Katherine Sebov in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in singles action on Saturday night to tie the match at 2-2 in the best-of-five matchup.
Sebov won 4 out of 8 break points in the two hour and 10 minute match, but also committed 59 unforced errors.
Leylah Fernandez had given Canada a 2-1 lead over Belgium in qualifying for the Billie-Jean-King Cup.
The 20-year-old Lavallois struggled early in the match against Ysaline Bonaventure, the highest-ranked Belgian in the event, but managed to come back to win the match 4-6, 7-5 6-2 .
Bonaventure, coming off a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Rebecca Marino on Friday, dominated the game by two hours and 26 minutes before committing a series of unforced errors in the second and third sets.
Fernandez converted five of 20 break points and varied his shots, hitting 15 forehand winners and eight backhand winners.
The clash between these two nations is a best-of-five match. Katherine Sebov will face Greet Minnen in singles action on Saturday night before Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski take on Kirsten Flipkens and Minnen in doubles.
This stage in Vancouver is one of nine qualifying stages taking place this week around the world. The winners will qualify for the finals, played in November.
Last year, Canada defeated Latvia in the qualifying tournament in Vancouver and advanced to the final in Glasgow, where the Maple Leaf defeated Italy. Canada then admitted defeat against Switzerland, which in turn won the world title.
