Radiant and determined as she has been since the beginning of the week, Quebec’s Leylah Fernandez led Canada to its first triumph in its history at the Billie Jean King Cup in Seville on Sunday. A crowning achievement that was as spectacular as it was unexpected for the young team, as the country had never reached the final of the prestigious team competition since its founding 60 years ago.
The player from Laval, 35th in the world, dominated the Italian Jasmine Paolini, 30th, 6:2 and 6:3 in the second and final game of the day.
“It’s an incredible feeling. “I am so happy to have represented Canada at such a high level and to achieve this in front of Billie Jean King is extraordinary!” Leylah said on the pitch in the moments after the first celebrations.
Leylah Fernandez in her match against Jasmine Paolini on Sunday. Photo AFP
Captain Heidi El Tabakh’s Canadians, which also included Marina Stakusic, Gabriela Dabrowski, Eugenie Bouchard and Rebecca Marino, emulated the performance of their male compatriots a year ago, when Félix Auger-Aliassime made a significant contribution to the Canadians’ victory in the first Davis Cup in their history.
Photo AFP
Unbeatable Leylah
Previously, the surprising Stakusic, only 18 years old and until this first final another key element in the path of the Maple Leaf representatives, had defeated Martina Trevisan 7:5 and 6:3.
Marina Stakusic Photo AFP
It was the third time in this competition that the Ontario native, ranked 258th in the world, defeated a member of the top 100… a feat she had never achieved in the past.
But the big star of this historic coronation will undoubtedly have been Fernandez, who remained unbeaten in both singles and doubles throughout the week, with wins against Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic and of course Italy.
The 21-year-old Leylah clearly beat the reigning Wimbledon champion and seventh racket player in the world, Marketa Vondrousova, on Saturday.
More details to follow.