Canada bounces Mexico in Billie Jean Cup playoffs, advances to 2026 qualifiers

Team Canada has advanced to the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers after defeating host Mexico on Sunday to win the Group A playoffs at Club Sonoma.

Victoria Mboko of Toronto defeated Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-1 in a tidy 53 minutes, while American-Canadian Carson Branstine bounced Julia Garcia 6-3, 7-6 to sweep the best-of-three final.

Had Canada dropped one of its singles matches, it would have had to play a must-win doubles match with Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Mboko scheduled to face Giuliana Olmos and Zarazua.

Canada beat Denmark 2-1 on Saturday to force Sunday's winner-take-all showdown. Mexico beat Denmark 2-1 on Friday.

Victoria Mboko secures Canada spot in Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers with win over Mexico

American-Canadian Carson Branstine got the showdown against Mexico off to a great start with a 6-3, 7-6 (5) singles victory over Julia Garcia.

Branstine, who represented the United States before switching to Canada — the birth country of her mother — in 2017, needed one hour, 39 minutes to beat the 22-year-old crowd favourite.

Branstine finished with one ace, three double faults, 3-of-4 break points saved and 2-of-5 break points won. She won 65 per cent of her points on serve and won 2-of-10 return games.

Garcia finished with two aces, no double faults, 3-of-5 break points saved, and 1-of-11 break points won, and only won 1-of-11 return games.

Mboko finished her match with five aces, three double faults and five break points conversions. The young Canadian won 89 per cent of her points on first serve, won all of her service games and won five of seven return games.