Fernandez gets rare double-bagel, Canada sweeps Italy at BJKC

As Sportsnet's Danielle Michaud reports, with Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez both healthy, Canada boasts one of the strongest one-two punches in all of tennis, heading into the Billie Jean King Cup.

Canada got off to a roaring start to the Billie Jean King Cup Thursday with a win over Italy, including a double-bagel win by Leylah Fernandez.

Fernandez, from Montreal, blanked Italy’s Martina Trevisan in a match that lasted just 44 minutes.

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Earlier in the day, Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Andreescu at one point trailed in the first set 2-5, but she stormed back to win in a tiebreak before routinely handling the second set.

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Gabriela Dabrowski and Fernandez then completed the sweep with a 6-1, 6-1 win in doubles.

With the win over Italy, Canada will next face Switzerland with a spot in the semifinals on the line. The 12-team tournament features four groups of three, with the group winner advancing. The Swiss and Canadians have both now defeated Italy, meaning they enter their head-to-head matchup with identical 1-0 records.

You can watch Canada face Switzerland from Scotland on Friday morning on Sportsnet ONE and SN NOW. The match begins at 5:50 a.m. ET/ 2:50 a.m. PT.

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