By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, November 11, 2023
Gabriela Dabrowski and Leylah Fernandez stunned Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 7-6(3) clinching Canada's first King Cup final.
Photo credit: Fran Santiago/Getty for ITF Billie Jean King Cup
Bouncing around the blue court, Leylah Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski were a unified red front carrying Canada to a historic final.
Driven by deep desire, Dabrowski and Fernandez stunned Olympic gold-medal doubles champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 7-6(3) in the decisive doubles clinching Canada's 2-1 triumph over the Czech Republic and first trip to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
More: Paolini Leads Italy Into King Cup Final
"I'm just ecstatic. Extremely proud of our team spirit, team effort," Fernandez said. "I think today was one of our toughest ties, because we are playing against one of the best players in the world individually and the best team in the world, let's say, of Billie Jean King Cup.
"They have won it a couple of times. We definitely had a tough test for us, but we were just super excited, motivated, and we wanted to put on a show. Like I said, I'm extremely proud of our team, of our team spirit, and I can't wait for tomorrow's final."
Canada will face four-time champion Italy in tomorrow's final on the hard court of Seville, Spain that has become a stomping ground for dream makers.
Martina Trevisan and Jasmine Paolini each scored singles wins leading Italy past Slovenia, 2-0, to its first final in 10 years.
Screaming Canadian fans blared horns as an ecstatic Team Canada embraced on court completing an improbable comeback from 0-1 down after Krejcikova swept the first singles match of the semifinal.
"I think over the last, probably last decade, the level of tennis in Canada has gone up tenfold," Dabrowski said. "You even see the growth of the sport in our country increasing so much, so I think to be a part of the team that could actually win what is considered the World Cup of Tennis would just be absolutely phenomenal and hopefully inspire generations to come to follow their dreams."
Consider Canada, contesting just the second King Cup semifinal in the nation's history, took down 11-time champion Czech Republic with Fernandez accounting for both Canadian wins, defeating three Czech Slam champions in succession.
A brilliant Fernandez took it to Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova in the final set scoring a stunning 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory to level it and force the decisive doubles.
A fired-up Fernandez, who stands 5'6", has shown huge heart and strong spirit winning 15 of her last 16 Billie Jean King Cup matches emerging as a King Cup giant killer.
So you can understand Canadian captain Heidi El Tabakh wisely starting the red-hot Fernandez in place of Genie Bouchard alongside Dabrowski for the decisive doubles.
A slick stab volley from Fernandez capped a Dabrowski hold as Canada forced the second-set tiebreaker.
US Open doubles champion Dabrowski, relentlessly imposing herself at net, was the best player on the court for stretches of this match and spooked the Czech veterans with her poaching and movement. But when the Czechs challenged Fernandez in the breaker, she delivered.
The former US Open finalist fired a pair of winners as Canada edged ahead 4-2.
Standing toe-to-toe with Krejcikova in a forehand exchange, Fernandez refused to give up ground rattling out a mis-hit error to give Canada match point.
The Canadians dug in and forced another error from Siniakova to close a a tremendous performance that saw them play the pressure points with more poise than the seven-time Grand Slam doubles champions across the net.
Czech collaborative creativity was on display in the seventh game. Siniakova’s serving set up Krejcikova to plug the middle and knock off a couple of volley winners. Siniakova slid a forehand winner down the line holding for 4-3.
Landing her first serve deep in the box, Dabrowski answered with a strong hold to even after eight games.
The server held firm for 10 games.
In the 11th game, Dabrowski, whose frenetic front-court movement was unsettling the opposition, struck.
US Open doubles champion Dabrowski poached a volley winner and threw down a smash putting Canada ahead love-30 on Siniakova’s serve. The Canadian duo scrambled to elicit an error and earn the first break point of the match. Serving to Fernandez, Siniakova tightened up, double-faulted the break away then bounced her racquet off the blue court in disgust.
The Canadian pair trotted to the sideline ahead 6-5.
Serving for the set, Dabrowski went for a bold second serve and joined Fernandez closing net as the pair went up 30-love.
A Dabrowski forehand down the line skimmed the net, skipped over Siniakova’s racquet and gave Canada set points. Fernandez carved out a clever backhand volley down the line as Canada took the 47-minute opening set, converting the lone break point of the set.
While Siniakova was showing signs of frustration, the Canadian pair was exuding positive emotion. Canada earned two break points on Siniakova’s serve in the seventh game of set two.
Siniakova saved the first with a forehand drive volley, but the agil Fernandez held her shot, waited for Krejcikova to move at net, and rifled a pass behind her. Krejcikova couldn’t handle it, nudging a netted volley as Canada broke with a collective shout for 4-3.
Krejcikova was pumping her partner up between points aiming to amp up the intensity. Earning break point on Dabrowski’s serve, Krejcikova crashed a crosscourt forehand return winner as the Czechs broke back—their first break of the match—to even at 4-all.
Connecting on her first serve, Krejcikova stamped a love hold to back up the break and suddenly the Czech side was re-energized up 5-4.
Fernandez held then closed net with determination as Canada pressured Siniakova’s serve to love-30 in the 11th game. Standing tall amid the severe stress test, Siniakova did not crack holding for 6-5.
A slick stab volley from Fernandez capped a Dabrowski hold as Canada forced the second-set tiebreaker.
Match 2: Leylah Fernandez (Canada) d. Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in two hours, two minutes
Stats Here
A fired-up Fernandez fought off triple break point in the opening game, hanging tough through a gritty 10-minute test to hold.
Empowered, Fernandez broke twice in succession, exploiting a double fault and backhand error, to charge out to a 4-0 lead.
Lashing her lefty forehand down the line to open the court, Fernandez was taking the initiative in baseline rallies. The Canadian coaxed an errant forehand converting her second set point to snatch a one-set lead.
Despite the one-set deficit, Vondrousova looked relaxed on the ensuing changeover and immediately reset breaking to start the second set.
Dragging Fernandez forward with a dropper, Vondrousova flicked a forehand down the line backing up the break for a 2-0 second-set lead.
Soaring for a smash, Vondrousova threw down an emphatic overhead breaking again to stretch her lead to 3-0.
Czech fans jumped to their feet as Vondrousova served out the second set to force a decider after 79 minutes of play.
Continuing a pattern, Vondrousova earned break point in the opening game for the third straight set. Fernandez was in an offensive position, but missed the mark with a diagonal forehand ceding the break to start the decider.
Credit Fernandez for never losing faith in her forehand and whipping that wing with confidence to take charge of the set and the match.
Jitters were evident as Vondrousova double-faulted back the break in the second game.
A focused Fernandez broke for 3-1 then leaned into a laser backhand winner crosscourt holding for her fourth consecutive game and a 4-1 lead.
With the finish line in sight for Fernandez, Vondrousova made one final push, but couldn't break through.
"I feel like it was a great match, and she played I think amazing shots," Vondrousova said. "Yeah, I was a bit unlucky in the third set. Yeah, I felt like the second game maybe could have changed the set, but yeah, anyway, that's tennis. I mean, we played a great match."
Serving for the match at 5-3, Fernandez faced a triple-break point hole with guts and emotional fire.
Attacking net, Fernandez dug out a tremendous backhand volley to save the third break point.
Throughout the final set, Fernandez was the more proactive player and she was rewarded for it knocking a backhand winner down the line to seal an impressive 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win to force the decisive doubles.
“Today was definitely a tough match,” Fernandez said after her singles win. “Czech Republic have done amazing so far. For me, I just tried to play my game, be offensive, take it to her and I’m super happy with the way I played and the way that I executed my game plan.
“I love Billie Jean King Cup tennis. It’s the world cup of tennis and it definitely brings out the best in everybody, the fans are amazing and I think it makes the sport even more interesting.”
Match 1: Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) d. Marina Stakusic (Canada) 6-2, 6-1 in one hour, 23 minutes
Stats Here
It was all Krejcikova in today’s opening singles match.
Krejcikova spun a forehand winner down the line scoring the double break for a 4-1 second-set lead.
The 2021 Roland Garros champion confirmed the break extending to 5-1 after 75 minutes of play.
On her second match point, Krejcikova caught up to a drop shot and shoveled a forehand winner closing in one hour, 23 minutes.