Canada jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Fed Cup World Group II play against the Netherlands on Saturday, thanks to singles victories by Bianca Andreescu and Françoise Abanda.
The matches, played on clay in the Dutch city of 's-Hertogenbosch, gives the Canadians three opportunities to win the five-match series when play resumes on Sunday.
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Andreescu got Canada off to a winning start on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Richel Hogenkamp.
The Canadian teenager cruised through the match, with her only blip coming off a mental gaffe which saw Andreescu begin to leave the court at set point up 5-3 thinking she had claimed the opening set. Hogenkamp used the opportunity to fight back and win the game, but Andreescu overcame her error and properly won the set on the next game.
"I won the set after all, so it was fine," Andreescu said.
Placement perfect 👌@TennisCanada's @Bandreescu_ put Richel Hogenkamp on the backfoot... then ended the first set in style!#FedCup pic.twitter.com/MROio7BBZM
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 9, 2019
From there it was academic as Andreescu's power was too much for world No. 150 Hogenkamp to handle.
Bianca Andreescu got Canada off to a winning start in #FedCup World Group II action vs. Netherlands. pic.twitter.com/g5Uy05yLnd
— Sporting News Canada (@sportingnewsca) February 9, 2019
Abanda required three sets to take down Dutch top seed Arantxa Rus, winning the two-hour, 37-minute match 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-4.
The 22-year-old from Montreal won the opening set in a tiebreak as neither player gave an inch. Abanda and Rus combined for zero double faults and each won a break point in the first set, but the Canadian did just enough in the tiebreak to overcome the world No. 129.
The second set went to Rus, although Abanda put up a fight that included the only net point won by either competitor during the entire match.
Net play levels = 💯
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) February 9, 2019
Cool, calm, confident & phenomenal @franckie_abanda 🇨🇦#FedCup pic.twitter.com/Pj5sBY131Z
The hard-fought nature of the match extended into the deciding set, with Abanda coming out as the winner after breaking Rus' serve at 2-2 to swing momentum her way for the duration of the contest.
SHE DOES IT! 💪🇨🇦💪🇨🇦@franckie_abanda defeats Arantxa Rus 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-4 to put Canada ahead 2-0 against Netherlands.
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) February 9, 2019
What a match. #FedCup #GoCanada pic.twitter.com/oPlKgtNPIr
Canada heads into Sunday's action in a commanding position. Andreescu is scheduled for two matches on Sunday — a singles encounter against Rus and a doubles match with partner Gabriela Dabrowski against Dutch duo Bibiane Schoofs and Demi Schuurs — while Abanda is set to face Hogenkamp in singles action.