Canada's Leylah Annie Fernandez smiles after a practice session for the Billie Jean King Cup tennis qualifiers against Belgium, in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, April 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER – Canada’s Leylah Fernandez will take on Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium to kick off a Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in Vancouver on Friday.
The 20-year-old Fernandez of Laval, Que., is the top-ranked player in the two-day event, sitting at No. 50 in the WTA women’s singles rankings. Wickmayer, a former world No. 12, is currently ranked 190th.
Friday’s second match will see Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino face Belgium’s top player in the tournament, the No. 84 Ysaline Bonaventure.
Saturday will feature two more singles showdowns, with No. 81 Marino playing Wickmayer and Fernandez battling Bonaventure.
The competition will conclude Saturday with a doubles match that pits Fernandez and Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski against Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens and Greet Minnen.
The Vancouver event is one of nine qualifiers taking place around the globe this week. Winners will advance to November’s finals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2023.
