By Canadian Press

Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino wins first-round qualifier at Rogers Cup

Aug 5, 2018 | 12:06 AM

Canada’s Rebecca Marino is one win away from playing in the main draw of the Rogers Cup for the first time since 2011.

The 27-year-old from Vancouver upset Vera Lapko of Belarus 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of qualifying for the women’s tournament on Saturday in Montreal.

Marino returned to pro tennis this year after almost five years away from the sport. Now ranked 310th in the world, she received a wild card into the qualifying draw and made the most of it by knocking off the No. 69-ranked Lapko.

Marino has played at lower levels since returning as she tries to work her way back up the rankings. She hit a career high of No. 38 in 2011.

Marino, who won a Challenger event in Winnipeg earlier this summer, faces No. 53 Qiang Wang of China in the final round of qualifying on Sunday.

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Leylah Fernandez, a 15-year-old from Montreal, also was a winner. The 2018 French Open girls’ semifinalist downed Alicja Rosolska of Poland 6-3, 6-2.

Fernandez will battle No. 118 Katie Boulter of Great Britain for a spot in the main draw on Sunday.

The other six Canadian women in qualifying all lost on Saturday.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski lost 6-1, 6-2 to American Bernarda Pera, Montreal’s Catherine Leduc fell 6-2, 6-2 against Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia and American Sachia Vickery knocked off Isabelle Boulais of Mississauga 6-2, 6-1.

Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic beat Toronto’s Katherine Sebov 6-4, 7-6(4), American Sofia Kenin downed Alexandra Vagramov of Port Moody, B.C., 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 and Monica Puig of Puerto Rico topped Canadian-U.S. dual citizen Carson Branstine 6-3, 6-3.

On the men’s side of the Rogers Cup in Toronto, another Vancouver player recorded an upset.

Filip Peliwo, ranked 203rd in the world, beat No. 64 Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of qualifying.

The 24-year-old Peliwo won the Wimbledon boys’ title in 2012, but hasn’t enjoyed the same success at the men’s level. His highest ranking was No. 161 earlier this year.

Peliwo, who will face No. 247 Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan on Sunday, was the only one of five Canadian men to win in qualifying on Saturday.

Brayden Schnur of Pickering, Ont., lost to American Mackenzie McDonald, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., dropped a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., fell 6-3, 6-4 against Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy.

Benjamin Sigouin of Vancouver, the final Canadian to play, lost 7-5, 6-3 to Elias Ymer of Sweden.

Main-draw action begins Monday in Toronto and Montreal.

The Canadian Press