Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, returns a shot to Iga Swiatek, of Poland, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Monday, March 13, 2023, in Indian Wells, Calif. Tennis Canada announced on Tuesday that Andreescu, Leylah Fernandez, Rebecca Marino and doubles ace Gabriela Dabrowski will represent Canada in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, April 14-15, at Pacific Coliseum. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Mark J. Terrill
VANCOUVER – Canada will send out its best possible team when it takes on Belgium in next month’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in Vancouver.
Tennis Canada announced Tuesday that Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Fernandez, Rebecca Marino and doubles ace Gabriela Dabrowski will represent Canada in the Gainbridge qualifiers, April 14-15 at Pacific Coliseum.
Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion and Canada’s highest ranked player on the WTA Tour at No. 36, will play her first home Billie Jean King Cup tie since 2018. The Mississauga, Ont. native has climbed nine spots in the world rankings since the start of 2023.
Fernandez, of Laval, Que., has been playing a mix of singles and doubles in 2023 and already has a finals appearance under her belt, reaching the championship match at the ASB Classic with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The world No. 46 has won eight of her 11 previous Billie Jean King Cup contests.
Rounding out the team are Vancouver’s Marino, who has moved back inside the Top 100 for the first time since 2012 and is currently ranked No. 75, and Ottawa’s Dabrowski, a two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles winner, who is currently ranked No. 6 in women’s doubles.
Canada and Belgium will be facing off for the fourth time at the Billie Jean King Cup, with the Belgians winning the previous three occasions. The winner of April’s tie will qualify for the 2023 Finals in November.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2023.
