Leylah Fernandez guides Canada to first ever title

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez secured the Billie Jean King Cup with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, leading Canada to their first ever triumph. Fernandez, the world’s 20th-ranked player, went unbeaten in five matches throughout the week, securing Canada’s wins over Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Italy.

“It means the world to me,” Fernandez, expressed to CNN Sport’s Patrick Snell. Adding, “Billie Jean King has done so much for women, for tennis, for women in tennis and to be able to win the world cup of tennis in her name definitely gives me a lot of confidence, but also the group of girls and Canada a lot of confidence.”

The relatively unknown Marina Stakusic also played a significant role in Canada’s victory, finishing the week with a 3-1 record and securing her first victory over a top-50 player. Stakusic praised the honor of playing in the tournament and expressed her joy at the unexpected successes she achieved.

Canada’s surprising victory came just a year after the country’s first Davis Cup title, marking a remarkable achievement for Canadian tennis within a short time period. The team will receive a remarkable prize money record of $2.4 million for their victory which expectedly garnered a lot of attention and accolades worldwide.

Proudly, the Canadian team was presented with the remarkable trophy and matching blue jackets, in honor of the legendary tennis star and tournament namesake, Billie Jean King.

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