Captain Heidi el Tabakh rolled the dice by going with youth over experience in Canada's opening singles match against Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The gamble paid off Wednesday as unheralded rookie Marina Stakusic delivered an emphatic 6-3, 6-1 upset win over Rebeka Masarova for the biggest victory of her young career.
Leylah Fernandez - The Canadian PressSEVILLE, Spain — Captain Heidi el Tabakh rolled the dice by going with youth over experience in Canada's opening singles match against Spain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Fernandez, the world No. 35, needed two hours 53 minutes to complete the win in a back-and-forth match. The Canadian came back from 5-2 down in the second set, then saved two set points in the tiebreak before winning on her first match point. The world No. 258 was in full control against her 65th-ranked opponent and showed no sign of nerves on one of the sport's biggest stages. The performance hushed the partisan crowd at Estadio la Cartuja and left Masarova frustrated and searching for answers.
Stakusic, who has won three tournaments on the lower-level ITF circuit this season, called it the biggest win of her career. Stakusic, who made her pro debut as a 14-year-old in 2019, missed the first six months of this season with a knee injury. She was in form upon her return, raising trophies in Berkeley, Calif., Valladolid, Spain, and most recently at the Tevlin Challenger in Toronto.
She entered play with an 11-3 BJK Cup record over seven career ties. She has risen to a career-high No. 17 in doubles.
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