{"id":23037,"date":"2023-11-10T01:40:21","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T01:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/canada-off-to-a-strong-start-in-bjk-cup-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-11-10T01:40:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T01:40:21","slug":"canada-off-to-a-strong-start-in-bjk-cup-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/canada-off-to-a-strong-start-in-bjk-cup-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada off to a strong start in BJK Cup | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nSEVILLE:
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Canada swept hosts Spain 3-0 in the Billie Jean King Cup<\/a> finals on Wednesday, to get off to a strong start in Group C.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Italy scored an impressive 2-1 win over France in their opening Group D tie, winning both singles rubbers.<\/p>\n

Canadian rookie Marina Stakusic, 18, beat Rebeka Masarova 6-3, 6-1 in a brilliant display, before Leylah Fernandez edged Sara Sorribes 7-6 (10\/8), 7-6 (9\/7) to clinch the tie.<\/p>\n

Stakusic, ranked 258th in the world, made light work of Masarova, who is 65th for her first victory over a top 100 player.<\/p>\n

“I feel amazing, I’m super happy with my performance today, I just tried to have great energy from the beginning and just show I belong here,” said Stakusic.<\/p>\n

“It’s my best victory for sure… the Canadian fans motivated me so much today, and the Spanish fans too, I like any noise. For me it was very motivating.”<\/p>\n

As impressive as Stakusic was, Masarova made 33 unforced errors and was far from her best.<\/p>\n

It left the pressure on team-mate Sorribes’ shoulders and perhaps that told as she spurned three set points in the tie-break before Fernandez eventually snatched an exciting first set.<\/p>\n

Sorribes failed to convert two more set points in the second set tie-break and Fernandez triumphed.<\/p>\n

“There are something that I need to work on but my Canadian team-mates and my Canadian cheering squad here did what they had to do, gave me positivity and helped me in the tough moments,” said Fernandez.<\/p>\n

“That was extremely tough, I tried to stay focused on just one point at a time.”<\/p>\n

Eugenie Bouchard and Gabriela Dabrowski polished off the sweep with a 6-2, 7-5 doubles win over Sorribes and Masarova.<\/p>\n

France clawed back a point in the doubles against Italy, who also won both their singles rubbers.<\/p>\n

Jasmine Paolini beat France’s Caroline Garcia 7-6 (8\/6), 5-7, 6-4 in a thrilling battle after Martina Trevisan beat Alize Cornet 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, earning Italy the tie.<\/p>\n

Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic then earned a 5-7, 6-2, 10-6 win over Trevisan and Elisabetta Cocciaretto.<\/p>\n

Four-time winners Italy have now beaten France in five of their last seven meetings, edging this battle between two of the four ever-present countries at the tournament, along with Australia and Great Britain.<\/p>\n

Trevisan came back forcefully from a set down to triumph in the first singles rubber.<\/p>\n

“I’m very happy to bring the point to my team, when I play for Italy, for my country, it’s always special,” she said.<\/p>\n

Cornet said she was unwell in the second set.<\/p>\n

“I was feeling pretty good before and during the first set,” she explained.<\/p>\n

“Then my form dropped. I started to feel a bit dizzy, and I think she changed her strategy and she played much smarter from the second set.”<\/p>\n

Paolini and world number 20 Garcia played out a consistent first set with just one break point, which the Italian saved, eventually triumphing in the tie-break.<\/p>\n

In the second set Garcia blew two set points at 5-4 up but immediately recovered Paolini’s break and made no mistake at the third time of asking, forcing a decider.<\/p>\n

However, it was Paolini who emerged victorious in a tense finale, winning the final four games to clinch victory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n