Team Canada is heading back to the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in 2026 after winning Group A in the play-off round this weekend in Monterrey, Mexico. The Canadians won both of their ties over Denmark and Mexico to finish atop the group.
After beating the Danes 2-1 on Saturday, Canada won both singles matches to clinch the winner-take-all tie with the host Mexicans on Sunday.
CLICK HERE to read the Sunda match report
CLICK HERE to read the Saturday match report.
Results
Friday, November 14: Mexico d. Denmark 2-1
Saturday, November 15: Canada d. Denmark 2-1
- Rebecca Munk Mortensen (DEN) d. Cadence Brace (CAN) 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(4) DETAILS
- Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Johanne Christine Svendsen (DEN) 7-5, 6-3 DETAILS
- Gabriela Dabrowski/Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Emma Kamper/Johanne Christine Svendsen (DEN) 6-2, 6-4 DETAILS
Sunday, November 16: Canada d. Mexico 2-0
- Carson Branstine (CAN) d. Julia Garcia (MEX) 6-3, 7-6(5) DETAILS
- Victoria Mboko (CAN) vs. Renata Zarazua (MEX) 6-1, 6-1 DETAILS
Overview
In order for Team Canada to contend for a second Billie Jean King Cup title in 2026, they first needed to get through this week’s play-off round. The 2023 champions headed down to Monterrey, Mexico this week for the Play-offs, looking to get back into the qualifying round next spring.
Canada was in Group A with hosts Mexico and Denmark. The Canadians were the top-ranked team in the group and the No. 1 overall seed in the play-off round.
Each country played each other once, with the top team clinching the spot in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. The other two teams were demoted to their regional zones for next year’s competition.
Every tie featured three best-of-three matches, two singles matches and a doubles match. The No. 2 singles players from each country played the opening match followed by the No. 1 singles players. Doubles was the final match.
As this was a round robin, every match counts towards the standings. Therefore, doubles would always be played even if a country wins both singles matches, although it was cancelled in the Canada-Mexico tie as Canada had already clinched the group.
Canada was participating in the play-offs after losing in April’s qualifying round.
How to watch
Team Canada’s Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Play-offs will be broadcast on TVA Sports and livestreamed by CBC Sports on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.
The Teams
Once again, Canada sent a mostly young and green team to the Billie Jean King Cup. For the second time in 2025, Canada had multiple members of their squad making their Billie Jean King Cup debuts in Monterrey. This time around, it was Carson Branstine and Cadence Brace who earned their first nominations to don the red and white.
They were joined two fellow youngsters, Canadian No. 1 Victoria Mboko, who made her Billie Jean King Cup debut in April in Tokyo, and Marina Stakusic, who was nominated for the fourth time.
Gabriela Dabrowski rounded out the squad. The doubles veteran had more Billie Jean King Cup experience than her four teammates combined.
Mboko and Stakusic were the only members of Team Canada in Monterrey who participated in April’s qualifying round.
Branstine's road to representing Canada in the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time was different from her teammates, as she only switched allegiances from the United States to the Great White North back in 2017. READ MORE about what representing Canada means to Branstine and her World-Series-Champion cousin Freddie Freeman.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the members of Team Canada
Another sort-of new face for Team Canada this time around was captain Marie-Ève Pelletier. The former player stepped in on an interim basis for Heidi El-Tabakh, who is on maternity leave. CLICK HERE to learn more about Pelletier's debut as captain.
Team Canada spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the matches. CLICK HERE to see how the Canadians were feeling heading into the Play-Offs.
Team Denmark were without their top player as Clara Tauson, who was originally nominated as part of the Danish team, withdrew ahead of the event. The Danes competing were Johanne Christine Svendsen (No. 554), Rebecca Munk Mortensen (No. 652), Emma Kamper (No. 1174), and Laura Brunkel (No. 1295).
The host Mexicans were led by world No. 70 Renata Zarazua. Marian Gomez (No. 262), Victoria Rodriguez (No. 363), and Julia Garcia (No. 763) will also be representing the hosts, as will doubles world No. 46 Giuliana Olmos.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Team Denmark and Team Mexico.
Social Corner
Click the links below to check out what Team Canada is up to in Monterrey:
- Facetiming with Heidi El Tabakh and her newborn baby
- Team Canada tests out their reflexes ahead
- We almost got them on this one...
- When life gives you lemons.....
- Just Billie Jean King Cup Play-Offs Things
- Hard world hits different in Monterrey
How we got here – 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers
Canada failed to qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the first time since the competition format was changed in 2020-21. They finished second in Group A in April behind Japan. In Tokyo, three members of Team Canada, Mboko, Kayla Cross, and Ariana Arseneault, were participating in the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time.
Mboko dazzled in her Billie Jean King Cup debut, winning both of her singles matches. Stakusic went 1-1, scoring a victory in the first tie against Romania but lost against Japan. Top spot in the group came down to the wire, with Japan eliminating the Canadians with a three-set doubles win.
The full results are listed below:
- Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Miriam Bulgaru (ROM) 6-1, 6-4
- Marina Stakusic (CAN) d. Anca Todoni (ROM) 6-4, 6-3
- Kayla Cross/Rebecca Marino (CAN) d. Georgia Craciun/Mara Gae 6-2, 6-4
- Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Ena Shibahara (JPN) 7-5, 6-7(8), 7-5
- Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) d. Marina Stakusic (CAN) 6-3, 6-3
- Shuko Aoyama/Ena Shibahara (JPN) d. Kayla Cross/Rebecca Marino 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Read the analysis and player reactions: Team Canada Holds Heads High Despite Billie Jean King Cup Loss
Feature Photo : Sarah-Jade Champagne
