Tennis News: Canada temporarily leads Group C of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup season in Seville thanks to a crushing victory against the home team.
Young Canadian tennis player Marina Stakusic introduced herself to the tennis world after knocking out Spanish tennis player Rebeka Masarova and giving Canada its first victory against host team Spain in the group stage of the Billie Jean King Cup final.
Stakusic put in an impressive performance and beat world number 65 Masarova before securing a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory, the biggest victory of her career to date and her first win against a top-ranked player 100.
After that, Canadian left-hander Leylah Annie Fernandez increased Canada’s lead by scoring a close 7-6, 7-6 victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo in a match that lasted almost 3 hours. With this victory, Canada also sealed its first victory against Spain in the women’s team competition since the 1972 season.
The Canadian team’s enthusiasm reached a fever pitch after Eugénie Bouchard and Gabriela Dabrowski beat Masarova and Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 7-5 in doubles.
However, the day still belongs to 18-year-old Stakusic, who will remember her Billie Jean King Cup debut after showing skill and confidence despite her inexperience and still being ranked 258th in the world.
“It’s a special feeling and it makes me believe that I deserve to be here,” exclaimed Stakusic. “It’s also a very special victory in front of all the Canadians with whom I have worked for a very long time. This victory is by far the most significant victory for me and gives me a lot of confidence for the future.
“I started the season injured and at that point I definitely didn’t think I would be here now. But I think the injury just motivated me to come back stronger.
“I learned a lot from here. The other players are definitely more experienced than me and it was really fun to be with them. Leylah came up to me before my match and told me to enjoy the moment and have fun.
At the moment, Canada leads Group C and can secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup final with a victory against Poland.
Article keywords: Tennis, Billie Jean King Cup, Marina Stakusic
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