Three things to know ahead of the BJK Cup qualifiers tomorrow

As I sit in my hotel room on the West Coast, I can’t help but marvel at the busyness of the city. A five-hour flight from my home (Toronto), Vancouver isn’t all that different (except for the mountains, of course). Tomorrow, Team Canada will participate in a tiebreaker against Team Belgium for the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers. The BJK Cup is pretty much the world cup of women’s tennis, so you won’t want to miss it. Even better, Canada’s team is playing right in their own backyard. Here are three important things to know before matches start on Friday, April 14, at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET.

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1. Who’s playing?

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Team Canada: Leylah Fernandez, Rebecca Marino, Gaby Dabrowski, and Katherine Sebov

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(note: Sebov replaced Bianca Andreescu following her injury at the Miami Open)

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Team Belgium: YSALINE BONAVENTURE, GREET MINNEN, YANINA WICKMAYER, KIRSTEN FLIPKENS

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For more in-depth information on the background between these two teams, read this from Tennis Canada.

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1. SCHEDULE/ORDER OF PLAY

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Friday, April 14, 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET

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Fernandez vs Wickmayer

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Marino vs Bonaventure

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Saturday, April 15, 2 pm PT / 5 pm ET

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Marino vs Wickmayer

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Fernandez vs Bonaventure

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If it comes down to a tie, the doubles match will determine the outcome. You can watch the matches on Sportsnet (cable) as well as Sportsnet NOW (streaming). 

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2. What does this mean for Canada?

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Canadian tennis has been on the rise again for the last several years. With Bianca Andreescu winning the US Open in 2019, Leylah Fernandez making the final of the US Open in 2021, the consistency of Fleix + Shapo, Gaby Dabrowski’s success in doubles, the list goes on and on! 

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The Canadian men’s team won the Davis Cup just recently, and now the women have the chance to qualify and hope to do the same. These team events that showcase the country’s talent on the world stage are so important for growing the game in Canada and continuing to develop more stars that will continue to carry the torch.

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More success in Canadian tennis = good.

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Seems obvious, no?

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Follow Homestand Sports for coverage from Vancouver throughout this weekend.