Billie Jean King Cup | Canada wants to spoil its fans

Nicholas Richard
Journalism

This competition that brings together the best players on the planet is the most important women’s team tournament in the world. Canada will play on Friday and Saturday at Pacific Stadium.

The Canadian team, led by Heidi Tabakh, will face Latvia. Notably, this team will feature Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko, who excels in singles and doubles, but announced her withdrawal earlier this week due to injury. She was the only one of the four Latvian players ranked in top 200.

For its part, Tennis Canada has high hopes for Laila Annie Fernandez. He is 19 years old Kipker and he is 21 years old^And Globalism. However, Maple Leaf will also be able to count on a well-balanced and versatile team.

Rebecca Marino

Individual Ranking: 111^And
Double Ranking: 172^And
Age: 31 years old
Birthplace: Toronto

Rebecca Marino will experience a great moment of passion during her first game, as she will play at home, in Vancouver, in front of family and friends. “They promised to be really noisy,” she laughed.

This season’s title winner, Marino will play a unique role in this young Canadian team. She is the most experienced player on the team. His experience in international competitions will necessarily be a great asset. She also believes that her teammates will be able to rise to the challenge: “There is a lot of pride in the idea of ​​representing Canada. You always want to do your best, especially as a team. You want to make everyone proud, and you want to play for you.”

According to Marino, the Canadian team complement each other well. She is happy to know that she will be able to count on her teammates if needed. She also takes her leadership role very seriously, and although she has more experience, she also wants to be able to learn from other team members.

“What makes this team special is the connection we have and the very different game experience we have. It is a great fortune.”

Gabriella Dabrowski

Singles Ranking: 949^And
Double Ranking: 9^And
Age: 30 years old
Birthplace: Ottawa

Gabriella Dabrowski is one of the best doubles players in the world. She knows that her talent for this form of play is a huge asset to the Canadian team. On the eve of a berth in the final rounds, Dabrowski doesn’t want to look too far ahead. Qualifiers in Vancouver “a critical step”.

The fact that these matches are played in “one of the most beautiful cities in the world” is not the only reason why Canadians are so excited. She is rather being able to share this experience with her teammates, which she does not hesitate to praise, moreover.

“Everyone wants to win. The important thing is to play well and support each other when it’s most important. […] We are all professionals and can prepare well for this type of competition. »

Dabrowski’s experience and record in doubles certainly give Team Canada an edge in this aspect of the game. It can be very powerful. Canada is fortunate to have so much talent. »

Carol Chow

Singles Ranking: 285^And
Double Ranking: 393^And
Age: 26 years old
Birthplace: Chongqing (China)

Carol Chow will be happy to play at home for the first time in nearly five years. The 26-year-old may not be the most experienced player, but her NCAA years at Stanford will clearly be an advantage in this collegiate competition.

In his opinion, the biggest advantage of the Canadian team will be playing at home: “The harmony is really important. Fortunately, we are all fine. And we know what we have to do. Everyone wants to do the best for the team. So chemistry is important, but you have to be They are aware of the environment and benefit from it.”

Being able to play under the Billie Jean King Cup banner is also a huge honor for Zhao. King has done a lot for women’s tennis. This is a beautiful way to honor him.

“It’s a bit like the World Cup. It’s a great opportunity to represent your country, which we don’t often get the chance to do. After that, everything that Billie Jean King did for women’s tennis has been tremendous and she’s left a huge legacy.”

Françoise Abanda

Individual Ranking: 471^And
Age: 25 years old
Birthplace: Montreal

Françoise Abanda is accustomed to international meetings. She loves to wear maple leaf colors and has previously had success in such conditions.

Quebec loves this kind of competition, because it allows her to explore another side of her sport: “Usually, we always play singles tournaments, so she brings team spirit and brings the will to win for her country.”

Moreover, she is pleased that the competition can be held in Canada. The sport of tennis is booming from coast to coast and this is a great opportunity to put women’s tennis first: “It is so rewarding to participate in the BJK Cup. It is an honor and it makes all tennis fans happy to know that there are athletes who want to fight for the colors of Canada.”