Leylah Fernandez steered Canada to their maiden Billie Jean King Cup title as she delivered the decisive level in a 2-0 victory over Italy in Seville.The previous US Open runner-up maintained her beautiful kind all through the week as she beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-3. After the 21-year-old transformed match level the Canadian crew celebrated wildly …
Leylah Fernandez steered Canada to their maiden Billie Jean King Cup title as she delivered the decisive level in a 2-0 victory over Italy in Seville.
The previous US Open runner-up maintained her beautiful kind all through the week as she beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-3.
After the 21-year-old transformed match level the Canadian crew celebrated wildly on courtroom in entrance of their jubilant followers.
“I do not know what to say,” Canada’s captain Heidi El Tabakh stated. “I am so happy with this crew, these ladies are unbelievable. It is a dream come true.”
Teenager Marina Stakusic had earlier put Canada close by of glory due to a surprising victory over Martina Trevisan. The 18-year-old, 258th within the WTA rankings, produced a nerveless show to win 7-5 6-3 in opposition to an opponent ranked forty third.
Solely when victory was inside her grasp did Stakusic wobble, as 4 match factors went adrift when Trevisan served at 2-5, however she shrugged off that disappointment and powered via her subsequent service sport to finish the competition with a crunching forehand winner.
“I am so glad and honoured that I might play this week, this has been the most effective week of my life,” Stakusic, who didn’t even play a WTA predominant draw match this 12 months, stated on courtroom.
It was then over to Fernandez, who duly claimed her fourth singles win of the week by outclassing Paolini.
Fernandez had produced heroics yesterday in opposition to the Czech Republic, when she beat Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to maintain Canada within the semi-final. earlier than teaming up with Gabriela Dabrowski to doubles victory.
Canada’s crew will obtain £1.96m [$2.4m] in prize cash – a file for the ladies’s crew occasion previously generally known as the Fed Cup. They had been additionally offered with the trophy whereas crew members obtained blue jackets like those so-loved by Billie Jean King, who was current for the ultimate.
It completes a notable double for Canada, who had been additionally Davis Cup champions for the primary time final 12 months.
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