Andreescu & Fernandez to lead Canada at Billie Jean King Cup

| by Jamie Malachy

Tennis Canada has announced that Bianca Andreescu will lead the Canadian team for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers in Vancouver.

This year’s Qualifiers will take place on April 14-15 at the Pacific Coliseum, with Canada set to face off against Belgium. World No. 36 Andreescu, who will play her first home Billie Jean King Cup tie since 2018, has climbed nine WTA Tour ranking places since the turn of the year.

She reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Open in February and has tallied impressive straight-set victories over Top 50 players Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.

"She does not miss" - Andreescu in disbelief after Swiatek loss
"She does not miss" - Andreescu in disbelief after Swiatek loss

Andreescu has just been knocked out of Indian Wells, having put in a commendable showing against the World No. 1. Iga Swiatek. Winning Indian Wells in 2019 was the start of Andreescu’s breakout year as she followed up with victory in Toronto and then the US Open.

She has not hit such heights since due to a variety of injuries but showed flashes of her talent against Swiatek. It will therefore be a big boost for Team Canada that Andreescu is included in the team to face a potentially tricky Belgium side this spring.

Joining the former US Open champion will another Canadian US Open finalist in Leylah Fernandez, as well as Rebecca Marino and Gabriela Dabrowski.

Marino, who has moved back inside the Top 100 for the first time since 2012, is in brilliant form and will have the added incentive of playing in front of her home crowd in Vancouver.

Two-time mixed doubles Grand Slam champion Dabrowski, currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, will also give the Canadian women's team a much-needed edge in the doubles fixtures, with Andreescu likely to lead the field as top seeded player in the singles.

Canada and Belgium will be facing off for the fourth time at the Billie Jean King Cup – the Belgians currently lead their head-to-head 3-0.

Andreescu at ease with tennis career; thinks she can get back to old level
Andreescu at ease with tennis career; thinks she can get back to old level

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