Defending champion Canada fell 2-0 to Great Britain in a quarterfinal tie at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals women’s tennis tournament on Sunday in Malaga, Spain.
Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino dropped the first singles match 6-0, 7-5 to Emma Raducanu. Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., lost 6-2, 6-4 to Katie Boulter in the second match.
Marino had five aces to zero double faults and won 59 per cent of her first-serve points. However, she failed to capitalize on any of her seven break point opportunities.
WATCH | Canada eliminated from Billie Jean Cup:
Katie Boulter put the icing on the cake Sunday after she defeated Leyla Fernandez 6-2, 6-4 in the second quarter-final match in Malaga, Spain.
Fernandez had two aces to nine double faults and won 64 per cent of her first-serve points. She broke on two of her five chances, but saw Boulter break on five of her nine opportunities.
Canada got a bye into the quarterfinals as the defending champions before having to face Great Britain.
“You know what? We can’t win them all, and I think credit to Team Great Britain, because I think both girls played complete matches,” Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh said.
Great Britain will face Slovakia, which defeated Australia 2-0, in the semifinals.
WATCH | Marino drops opener to Raducanu:
Toronto’s Rebecca Marino lost 6-0, 7-5 to Emma Raducanu to give Britain a 1-0 lead.
Slovakia’ Rebecca Sramkova cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ajla Tomljanovic to clinch Slovakia the victory after Viktoria Hruncakova rallied to defeat Kimberly Birrell 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-3 for her sixth straight BJK Cup win counting singles and doubles.
Slovakia had beaten the U.S. — the competition’s most successful nation — in the first round of the finals in Malaga.
Iga Swiatek’s Poland, seeking its first title, will face Italy in the semifinals.
