Fernandez, Stakusic clinch wins as Canada takes 1st Billie Jean King Cup

SEVILLE, Spain –

Leylah Fernandez beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday to clinch Canada’s first-ever title on the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., defeated Martina Trevisan 7-5, 6-3 earlier within the day to present Canada the early lead within the best-of-three tie on the indoor laborious court docket at Estadio la Cartuja.

“It feels wonderful and I am extraordinarily proud that I used to be capable of get to signify Canada on the most important stage,” Fernandez stated in an on-court interview. “To do it in entrance of Billie Jean, it means the world to me, to us and hopefully we are able to maintain going, have a good time tonight and simply have enjoyable.”

Earlier within the week, Canada swept its approach to a first-place end in Group C with wins over host Spain and Poland. A 2-1 victory over Czechia adopted within the semifinal with Fernandez and Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski clinching the tie with a 7-5, 7-6 (3) win within the doubles match.

At 5-0, Fernandez was a rock for Canada all through the week. Stakusic — a digital unknown getting into the 12-team event — emerged as a breakout performer and Dabrowski was an anchor in doubles play.

The roster, captained by Heidi el Tabakh, additionally included Montreal’s Eugenie Bouchard and Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino.

“We have had an unbelievable week and to complete it off by profitable the Billie Jean King Cup is a dream come true,” el Tabakh stated.

Canada was lacking 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., who has been nursing a again damage.

Canada’s earlier greatest displaying at this occasion got here in 1988 when it reached the semifinals earlier than falling to Czechoslovakia. Canada didn’t make it out of group play final yr in Glasgow.

Switzerland superior and went on to beat Australia within the 2022 closing.

Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open girls’s singles finalist from Laval, Que., broke Paolini’s serve within the closing recreation to seal the victory in a single hour 39 minutes. The 18-year-old Stakusic, the world No. 258, wrapped up her win over the forty third ranked Trevisan in 1:47 to enhance to 3-1 on the week.

Canada grew to become the thirteenth nation to win Billie Jean King Cup, a victory that was price US$2.4 million in prize cash. The staff members additionally acquired Billie Blue jackets as champions of the annual girls’s staff tennis championship.

Italy was on the lookout for its fifth title and first since 2013.

Canada is the defending champion within the males’s staff occasion. Spain may even host the Ultimate 8 stage of the Davis Cup Finals from Nov. 21-26 in Malaga.

Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime headlines a Canadian roster that features Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 12, 2023.