Too little too late

THE CANADIAN PRESS

CURITIBA, Brazil -- Canada's Fed Cup tennis team will have to wait another year to qualify for the World Group II playoffs.

The Canadians swept the Bahamas 3-0 in their final tie of the round-robin stage Friday at the Fed Cup but it was too late for a team whose fate was already out of its hands.

Argentina's win over Peru guaranteed Canada would finish second in its group with no chance at qualifying for the World Group II playoffs.

Marie-Eve Pelletier of Repentigny, Que., who replaced an injured Aleksandra Wozniak, defeated Gabrielle Moxey, 6-1, 6-0 in the first singles match. Stephanie Dubois of Laval, Que., gave Canada a 2-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Simone Pratt.

Toronto's Sharon Fichman and Pelletier completed the Canadian sweep with a 6-1, 6-0 doubles win over Moxey and Nikkita Fountain.

Canada's hopes of advancing had suffered a serious blow a day earlier with a 3-0 loss to Argentina.

On Saturday, the Canadians will play the loser of the tie between Brazil and Colombia for third place in this year's Americas zonal event.

Wozniak, from Blainville, Que., injured her right foot in her last match and was scheduled to be back in Montreal on Friday for medical tests.

Argentina's win earned it a spot in Saturday's Americas Zone Group I Fed Cup final.