Prague, November 2 (BNA): Canadians Gabriela Dabrowski and Rebecca Marino won the crucial doubles match to help defending champions France 2-1 on the opening day of the new Billie Jean King Cup finals on Monday.
Previously called the FA Cup, the event was renamed last year in honor of the 12-time US champion, restructured into the ‘Tennis World Cup’ format and concluded with 12 nations vying over the course of one week for the title, according to reports. Reuters.
Canada was the last of the 12 teams to enter the draw, replacing previous hosts Hungary in the draw due to its status as the top-ranked team to win the elimination match in April of this year.
It was the fifth meeting between the French and Canadians – the first in 28 years – as the hosts head to the center-court competition on the O2 circuit with a 3-1 head-to-head advantage.
France’s Fiona Ferro, who reached number 39 in her career earlier this year, initially looked to be the superior player in her first match against 353rd seed Francoise Abanda, and quickly moved up a set and a break.
But Abanda went deeper to beat Ferro 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to claim her fifth consecutive win in the competition.
Alize Cornet, the highest-ranked French singles player at 59th, managed to dodge big hitter Marino 6-4 7-6 (5) to tie the tie 1-1.
But Marino quickly got revenge when she returned with world number five Dabrowski in the doubles to defeat Cornet and Clara Borrell 6-3 7-6 (6) in the decisive match.
With the Russian Tennis Federation, whose entire team is ranked in the top 50, the third team from Group A, France will face an uphill task to reach the semi-finals.
The two teams play two group stage matches to determine the winners from the four groups of three, who advance to the semi-finals.
Noisy fans
In Belgium’s Group B match against Belarus, Great Menen and Elise Mertens won the singles rubber to seal the tie in the presence of a large number of Belgian fans, who came with drums, trumpets and other musical instruments on the first court.
Minin celebrated her debut in the competition with a solid display, as the 24-year-old handed Belgium the first point with a 6-2 6-2 victory over 263 seed Irina Shimanovic.
World number 18 Mertens survived a tough confrontation from Aleksandra Sasnovic to win 6-2 4-6 6-2 to conclude the confrontation against Belarus, who missed world number two Aryna Sabalenka and multiple major winner Victoria Azarenka in Prague.
Mertens, who has three major doubles titles, and Kirsten Flickens were unable to win 3-0 for Belgium in the rubber doubles, however, they lost 6-4, 6-3 to Sasnovich and Vera Labko.
Australia is the third team in Group B.
In the evening session, hosts Czech Republic, who have won the title six times since 2011, secured a tough 2-1 victory over rivals Germany in Group D, as Lucy Hradika and Katerina Siniakova combined efforts to clinch the decisive doubles title.
Spain also had to battle to beat Group C rival Slovakia, as Carla Suarez Navarro and Sara Sorribes Tormo battled Viktoria Kuzmova and Teresa Mihalikova in the doubles to score a 2-1 tie.