Team Canada is the new Billie Jean King Cup champion after defeating Italy in the final with two singles wins of Marina Stakusic and Leylah Fernandez. This is the first title of Canada in the championship and achieved after defeating the 4-time champion Italy in the final, and 7-time champion Czech Republic in the semi-finals.
In the first match from the final clash of the Billie Jean King Cup, the teenager Marina Stakusic (Canada), who is world’s No 242, smashed her quite higher rated opponent Martina Trevisan (Italy), who is world’s No 42, by 2-0 (7:5, 6:3) in 1:48 hours.
The Canadian teenager started the match strongly with an early break to lead by 2:0, but more experienced Martina Trevisan overturned to 5:4 after two breaks. However, Marina Stakusic equalized to 5:5 and won the next two games to close the first set by 7:5. The second set started with exchange of breaks after which Marina Stakusic took an advance of 4:2, which she saved by the end of the set and won the match.
In the second singles match, Leylah Fernandez defeated Jasmine Paolini by 2-0 (6:2, 6:3) in 1:41 hours of play. Thus, after two singles victories, Team Canada won the title and enjoyed their first trophy in the competition, which is considered the unofficial women’s world team tennis championship.
The team representing Canada at the Billie Jean King Cup was Leylah Fernandez, Marina Stakusic, Rebecca Marino, Eugenie Bouchard and Gabriela Dabrowski.
