(Vancouver) Canada and Belgium are tied one game all after Ysaline Bonaventure defeated Rebecca Marino in three sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Game 2 of the Billie Jean King Cup on Friday night .
Separated by only five places in the WTA rankings, Marino and Bonaventure played out a tight match characterized by long exchanges and powerful blows.
Marino used his powerful serve and forehand throughout the two-hour, 21-minute match, but made 79 unforced errors and 10 double faults.
Leylah Fernandez got Canada off to a great start, beating Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3.
The 20-year-old Lavalloise used her powerful serve to hit four aces and won five of nine possible break points in an hour and five-minute match.
Wickmayer had a tough time in the game, winning just 12 out of 25 points on his first serve and committing three double faults.
The two-day competition continues Friday night with Rebecca Marino of Vancouver taking on Ysaline Bonaventure, Belgium’s number one seed.
On Saturday, Fernandez and Bonaventure, as well as Marino and Wickmayer will face off in singles, before the pair Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski take on Kirsten Flipkens and Greet Minnen in doubles.
This Vancouver leg is one of nine qualifying legs taking place around the world this week. The winning nations will qualify for the finals in November.
Last year, Canada swept Latvia in qualifying and advanced to the finals in Glasgow, where the Maple Leaf defeated Italy before losing to Switzerland in the group match, which then won the world title.