(Seville) About a year ago in Spain, Canada’s men’s tennis delegation achieved a historic feat by winning the Davis Cup for the very first time. Now the ladies of the country will be able to do the same on Sunday, also in Spain, in the women’s competition which is the equivalent.
Led by Laval’s Leylah Fernandez, who defeated one of the best players in the world in singles before combining her efforts with those of Gabriela Dabrowski in doubles, Canada qualified for the ultimate duel in the Billie Jean Cup final King for the first time in its history on Saturday in Seville.
Fernandez and Dabrowski allowed Canada to write a new chapter in its tennis history by snatching a victory in two sets of 7-5, 7-6 (3) against the strong Czech tandem of Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková.
“I love these matches. As an athlete, you want to feel that pressure, that stress, that opportunity because you have the privilege of representing your country and I have the privilege of playing in front of millions of people,” said Fernandez, during a interview conducted courtside after the match and broadcast on the Sportsnet network.
“So, I just want to give the best of myself, offer my best game, and I’m super happy to have been able to do it today,” added the Laval resident.
Krejčíková and Siniaková have won seven Grand Slam titles together, including the Australian Open in early 2023.
“I’ve played them twice this year, in the last few months, so I’m pretty familiar with their game. It worked in our favor and I’m really happy with our performance,” said Dabrowski, who -even won the women’s doubles at the United States Open this summer with New Zealander Erin Routliffe.
It was on Fernandez’s serve that Canada earned the decisive point when Siniaková sent a forehand out of bounds, the Canadian duo’s first chance to end the duel.
Fernandez had a perfect week with this doubles triumph and his three singles victories, including the one acquired earlier in the day on Saturday which was crucial.
The 21-year-old from Laval allowed Canada to stay alive during its duel against the Czech Republic by defeating Markéta Vondroušová 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
“Leylah did what she usually does. At each edition of the Billie Jean King Cup, she puts in the effort, gets by and finds a way to get through it. It allowed us to hold on,” commented captain Heidi El Tabakh, at the edge of the court.
“And that double was incredible. [Fernandez and Dabrowski] played against one of the toughest teams in the world, and they both played very well. I am very proud of them,” added El Tabakh.
Fernandez defeated Vondroušová, the seventh player in the world, despite eight double faults and despite being the victim of a break of serve in the first game of the deciding set.
Fernandez, ranked 35th in the WTA in singles, however reacted with panache, collecting a break in the next game and another in the fourth game.
She also showed remarkable grit in the ninth game of the third set when she erased three break points to finally close the duel in her favor after two hours and two minutes of action.
For Fernandez, it was a fifth career victory against a player ranked in the top 10.
In the very first match of the day, Krejčíková, the 10th ranked player in the world, gave her country a 1-0 lead in the semi-final with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over the 18-year-old Canadian Marina Stakusic.
Stakusic, who entered the competition ranked 258th in the world, had her best moments of the match in the second game of the second set. After losing her serve in the opening game – which also happened to her in the first set – Stakusic displayed her fighting skills.
The Canadian had her only two break chances of the match and converted the second when Krejčíková sent a crosscourt forehand out of bounds, making the score 1-1 in the second set.
Krejčíková responded by winning 12 of the next 14 points, including 10 in a row, en route to two more breaks of serve and a 4-1 lead that Stakusic was never able to erase.
Despite this defeat, Stakusic opened many eyes during the week. Her singles victories, first against Spaniard Rebeka Masarova in two sets, then against Poland’s Magdalena Fręch in three sets, after conceding the first set, helped Canada reach the stage of the semi-finals.
“Marina had a very tough match today against a top 10 player. Barbora played incredible tennis. [Marina] did her best,” mentioned El Tabakh.
