(Seville) Ontario rookie Marina Stakusic seemed unintimidated in her first career match with the Canadian team at the Billie Jean King Cup on Wednesday. The 18-year-old crushed her Spanish opponent Rebeka Masarova 6-3, 6-1 in the first singles match to give Canada a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Stakusic, who is at 258e world rank, took barely more than an hour to overcome Masarova, 65e in the world, on the cement of the Estadio la Cartuja in Seville. She also beat the highest ranked player since the start of her professional career.
Things could have gotten out of hand at the end of the match, when Stakusic faced three break points while leading 4-1 in the second set. Masarova, however, was unable to take advantage of the opportunity to shake the representative of the maple leaf. Stakusic instead came back to attack in the next game by making her fourth break to seal the outcome of the match.
The Mississauga player therefore converted four of her seven break points against Masarova, who was unable to break her in five attempts. In addition, Stakusic obtained 75% of his points with his first ball, compared to only 56% for his opponent. The representative of the maple leaf also knew how to limit direct errors; she committed nine, compared to 33 for the Spaniard.
Leylah Annie Fernandez could seal the outcome of this duel between the two countries during the second singles match scheduled for the afternoon. Fernandez, the highest ranked Canadian in the world by virtue of her 35e level, will face for the occasion Sara Sorribes Tormo, 50e world racket.
In doubles, Gabriela Dabrowski, of Ottawa, and Fernandez, of Laval, should cross swords with Cristina Busca and Marina Bassols at the end of the day. The doubles teams could, however, be changed after the second singles match of the day, depending on the results.
Montreal’s Eugenie Bouchard and Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino will be rested on Wednesday. Canada, led by captain Heidi El Tabakh, is scheduled to play its second group stage match on Thursday against Poland.
The winning country of Group C, to which Canada belongs, will advance to the semi-finals. The final of this competition, which brings together 12 national teams, must take place on Sunday.
