Sunday in Malaga was one of those days when things just did not seem to want to break Team Canada’s way at the Billie Jean King Cup.
The title defence came to an end at the hands of Great Britain in the quarter-finals, with Leylah Annie Fernandez and Rebecca Marino losing in straight sets.
Both matches had similar vibes. The Canadian player got off to a slow start with a nightmarish first set. They had flashes in the second set but ultimately could not complete their comebacks as the Brits, who had the added advantage of a huge British cheering section that massively outnumbered the Canadian fans (who still cheered their hearts out from start to finish) which made it feel almost like a British home tie, were simply too solid and made very few mistakes.
Somewhat symbolically, practically every ball that hit the net cord went the way the Brits would want.
Put simply, it just was not Canada’s day.
“I think they [Team Great Britain] did what they had to do, and unfortunately I didn’t do what I needed to do to get the win. That’s kind of how it went,” analyzed Fernandez in her post-match press conference.
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The Canadian No. 1’s loss to Katie Boulter, which clinched the victory for the Brits, was the Canadian’s first loss at the Billie Jean King Cup in two years, ending her eight-match winning streak.
“From the first point all the way to the last I always try to keep fighting. I don’t try to give up on any occasion. In the beginning of the match, I was doing well to keep it close, but it was just a few important points where Katie [Boulter] found a way to hit a winner or force a mistake from my end. Then in the second set it was kind of the same story in the beginning. I think near the end of the second set, near the end of the match, I started putting more balls in, and that kind of helped, but it was a little too late for us,” explained Fernandez.
Gabriela Dabrowski, who was honoured with the Billie Jean King Cup Commitment Award prior to the tie, did not even get a chance to extend her seven-match winning streak, as the doubles was cancelled with the result already assured after the singles.
One major challenge for the Canadians on Sunday was under their feet. Team Canada had not practised on the match court in the days leading up to the tie. Great Britain had already played a tie on it and were far more familiar with the conditions.
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Marino referred to learning the court on the go as “a challenge” and pointed out that they “definitely play different from the practice courts,” although also insisted it was not a factor in her result. Fernandez expressed similar sentiments.
The fact that Canada had not practised on the match court prior to Sunday was not an organizational error or bad planning by anyone on-site in Malaga. It was actually Mother Nature’s fault.
The Canadians were due to practice on the match court earlier in the week but had to cancel because of severe rainfall and flood warnings in Malaga. The bad weather also forced entire ties to be pushed back, which then limited the availability of the match court for team practices later in the week.
In short, it was just a stroke of bad luck.
Even in defeat, even with all the forces working against them this week, the Canadian team were still able to find some positivity at the end.
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“I’m proud of the match as a whole, just because on paper I’m kind of the underdog, and I think I showed that I can step up even regardless of what’s happening with the scoreline, and I can change it and turn it around,” said Marino after her loss. “My game is right there. I have had a really good end of season, and definitely the belief is there. It’s just a matter of letting it click.”
“I’m always proud of my girls. I know they went out there to win, and I know they played their hearts out,” said captain Heidi El Tabakh. “You know what? We can’t win them all. But overall, I’m always, always proud of my girls and the effort they put out there and couldn’t ask for a better team.”
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Viewers can watch Team Canada’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals and Davis Cup Final 8 ties for free on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app, and CBC Sports’ official YouTube channel. The ties will also be available in French, as TVA Sports and TVA Sports Direct will be showing Canada’s matchups, as well as all semifinals and finals.