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In what Tennis Canada described as a “roster update”, the top two Canadians are out of the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tie in two weeks.
Out are top gun Victoria Mboko, and No. 2 singles player Marina Stakusic, as Canada travels to Kazakhstan to take on a team that (somewhat mercifully), doesn’t include Elena Rybakina.
The reasons are legit: Mboko is having all four wisdom teeth taken out this week.
Stakusic, who has had recurring issues with her back going back to last year, is withdrawing because of that issue.
Andreescu must step up
The team isn’t replacing both players; only Ariana Arseneault, who has had some success this year in singles and doubles at the lower levels of the ITF circuit, will come on as a substitute.
Leylah Fernandez was already a no for the tie. So that means the top three players won’t be making the date.
And so that leaves much of the success of this tie hinging on how Bianca Andreescu can step up.
Andreescu, currently ranked No. 146, returned at smaller tournaments this winter to try to find some form.
She has looked good at times; she also has lost to Dalma Galfi, Kamilla Rakhimova and, in the final of the WTA 125 in Austin, Texas a few weeks ago, to No. 124-ranked Lanlana Tararudee. All of them in three sets.
Andreescu has played almost NO Billie Jean King Cup since her huge season back in 2019.
She played against the Netherlands in a qualifier in Feb. 2019, just weeks before that huge Indian Wells win. And she played in the group stages at the 2022 finals, beating Elisabetta Cocciaretto but losing to Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland.
So it’s been 3 1/2 years since she’s played for her country. Which is a long time.
Andreescu appeared at a few other ties, but it seemed more a photo op than an intention to play, with all the injuries she’s battled.
Cross at No. 2
The withdrawals mean Kayla Cross, a lefty ranked No. 204 who is combining playing for Louisiana State University and competing on the circuits, would check in at No. 2.
The Kazakh team is led by the veteran Yulia Putintseva, who is scrappy and up for beating both Andreescu (with whom she is quite friendly) and Cross.
Beyond that, there is top doubles specialist Anna Danilina, who can rival with Canadian doubles star Gabriela Dabrowski.
After that: Zhibek Kulambayeva, Aruzhan Sagandykova and Sonja Zhiyenbayeva
If you haven’t heard of them, you’re forgiven.
The winner of the tie, to be held April 10-11, will move to the BJK Cup finals in September. The losing nation will have to come back and play in November, at the very end of the season, to stay in the qualifying group and have another chance in 2027.
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