MONTREAL

Laval's Leylah Fernandez pulls off upset but Canada out at Fed Cup Finals

The Canadian Press Published Saturday, February 8, 2020 2:55PM EST

Canada's Leylah Fernandez celebrates after winning her match against Switzerland's Belinda Bencic at the Fed Cup qualifier between Switzerland and Canada in the Swiss Tennis Arena in Biel, Switzerland, Feb. 8, 2020. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP)

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BIEL, SWITZERLAND -- Leylah Annie Fernandez's stunning two-set upset of world No. 5 Belinda Bencic was a highlight for Canada despite losing to Switzerland 3-1 on Saturday in the qualifying tie for the Fed Cup Finals.

Fernandez, from Laval, Que., is ranked 185th on the WTA's rankings, but earned a 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over Bencic to cut into Switzerland's 2-0 lead from Friday.

"It was tough because I know that Belinda is a fighter, she never gives up," said the 17-year-old Fernandez. "Even here at the Fed Cup you want to do the best for your country so I knew it wasn't going to be easy to break her serve again or in the tiebreak to finish it off but I was happy to get one more ball in and get my winners."

Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski then fell to Switzerland's Jil Teichman 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth rubber to seal Canada's loss.

The Canadians now drop into a playoff tie in April against a Regional Group I nation for a chance to reach the 2021 qualifiers.

Dabrowski, a doubles specialist, filled in for Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., who sat out with a left wrist injury. Bouchard said she sustained a wrist injury during a practice session on Thursday.

"It wasn't enough. I was disappointed in that," said Dabrowski, who is ranked seventh in doubles but 448th in singles. "I wish I had more singles matches under my belt in general. I wish I had more singles training. I wish we weren't all sick and injured this week. I wish we had a fifth player.

"There are lots of things that I wish were different but I did the best that I could in that moment."

Reigning U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, the world No. 6 from Mississauga, Ont., was not selected for singles play due to a lingering knee injury. She hasn't played a competitive match since suffering a left knee injury at the WTA Finals over three months ago.

Andreescu was still tabbed to play doubles with Dabrowski in the tie's fifth rubber but with Canada behind 3-1 the match was not played.

The Swiss had a 2-0 lead after Teichmann opened the tie with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Fernandez on Friday, and Bencic followed with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Dabrowski in the second rubber.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2020.