Canada needs win to stay in Fed Cup
Canada will have to defeat Romania if it wants to stay in the elite Fed Cup World Group and qualification rules for next year’s Olympics may prompt Eugenie Bouchard to play.
Following this past weekend’s 4-0 loss to the Czech Republic in its World Group quarter-final tie, Canada will face off against Romania in a World Group playoff in April. A win keeps it among the elite eight. A loss would send it back down to the World Group II.
“We are happy to have the chance to avenge our loss this weekend in front of our home fans in a little over two months,” said Sylvain Bruneau, captain of the Canadian Fed Cup team in a release. “We know that Romania will be another tough test, but our team is gaining experience and I know they will be up to the challenge.”
The defending champion Czech team overwhelmed Canada during the matchup, despite playing in front of a home crowd at Laval University in Quebec City. Canada’s top player, No. 7 ranked Eugenie Bouchard, declined to play in the event, leaving Canada with a relatively young roster.
However, that roster could get a boost come April.
Bouchard must be available to play in one more Fed Cup event in order to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, “which I know she wants to do,” Bruneau said during a conference call Tuesday afternoon.
“And besides the Olympics, I know she loves playing Fed Cup,” Bruneau said. “But yes, regarding Olympics she would need to play at least one tie in 2015 or 2016.”
Canada’s playoff against Romania would be Bouchard’s final chance this year to participate in Fed Cup and ensure her eligibility for the upcoming Olympic Games — a task she surely wants to check off. Choosing to skip it again this year would mean finding the time to play in an already busy — given the Olympics in August — 2016 schedule.
Whether she does, in fact, choose to play in April is not something he has discussed with her yet.
Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, will likely be out for April’s playoff, Bruneau said. And while Canada’s Fed Cup veteran Sharon Fichman did not play against the Czechs, Bruneau hopes she will be ready in two months.
The additions would be a boost to Françoise Abanda from Montreal and Gabriela Dabrowski from Ottawa, who were winless in their singles and doubles matches. Junior player Charlotte Robillard-Millette, 16, was also on the squad but did not play.
The Czech Republic, which beat Canada without its top players No. 4 Petra Kvitova and No. 15 Lucie Safarova, will face France in the semifinal. Russia and Germany will face off in the other semifinal.
The tie marked the first time in history Canada was competing in the top World Group after defeating Serbia and Slovakia last year to earn a place among the top eight countries in the world.
Canada will host the playoff on April 18-19. The choice of surface, venue and team will be decided at a later date.